Baltimore Announces Campaign To Eliminate Pests Linked To Health Problems
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- The Baltimore City mayor announced a campaign Wednesday that is intended to eliminate pests such as rats, mice and roaches in the City.
Mayor Catherine Pugh announced the launch of Campaign Heal, which plans to safely eliminate pests in the City that causes serious health concerns for families in public housing.
"Its aim is to get rid of rats, mice, roaches and other pests," said Mayor Pugh.
"We at the health department, through our community asthma program, everyday see children who are affected by asthma, their lives, their education, and let me tell you, there is a direct connection between pests and asthma," said Greg Sileo of the Baltimore Health Department.
The new pest control effort started Wednesday at Douglass Homes in East Baltimore.
"From the outside, from the sidewalk all the way into the building. It is our intent to get into every single unit, crawlspaces, basements, into buildings while DPW works the grounds," HABC director Janet Abrahams said.
It combines efforts with the City rat abatement program, where trash cans and other preventive steps are already in effect.
"You know that we rolled out about 180,000 cans in the City in essence to try to eliminate the food source from the rats," said Rudolph Chow of the Department of Public Works.
There are approximately 11,000 public housing units citywide, and the campaign calls for each of them to be inspected.
There will be three separate cycles of inspection. Residents are already being notified.
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