The discovery of bedbugs at a Florida Department of Environmental Protection building in Tallahassee prompted the agency to begin pest control treatments and sparked ongoing concerns from worried state employees.
John Coates, director of the Division of Water Resource Management, emailed DEP employees April 16 to inform them that bedbugs were found at the Bob Martinez Center on Blair Stone Road, though he added they were isolated to a certain area on the fifth floor.
In the email, which was obtained by the Democrat, he also gave directions to employees on what to do if they encounter the minuscule bloodsucking pests
“To help ensure the bedbugs are contained, we are taking steps to fully address it and prevent any further spread,” Coates said in the email. “A licensed pest control provider has been treating and will continue to treat the impacted and adjacent areas. In addition, we are working with the provider to implement a multiple phase treatment plan to ensure full resolution.”
Concerned state workers go online to express concern about bed bugs
The discovery alarmed employees and prompted a Reddit thread with more than 90 comments and counting. One DEP employee wrote that there were rumors bedbugs were found several floors above her in the water division but that there had been “no treatment or fumigation.”
“Very frustrating that someone with a terrible fear of blood sucking bugs like them,” the individual wrote. “That being said I’ve been washing my clothes religiously as of the last couple of weeks.”
Alexandra Kuchta, DEP communications director, told the Democrat that five dead bedbugs were observed recently in two adjacent offices on the same floor of the Bob Martinez Center.
“Those offices were promptly treated, and out of an abundance of caution, precautionary treatment is also being conducted throughout the floor by a licensed pest control provider,” she said in an April 27 email.
One employee, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, said that Coates’ email was the first official division-wide notification but that the bedbug problem has been going on since last September. The employee said DEP conducted “multiple pest control sprayings” between last fall and the recent email and that a total of 12 adult bedbugs were found.
The employee added that DEP was offering free home pest inspections to employees but that management has not said whether the agency will pay for any home treatment.
Kutchta did not immediately respond to an April 29 email from the Democrat asking about the extent of the bedbug problem and whether the department might spring for home pest control for employees.
State workers told to tape down bedbugs rather than squash them
In his email to BMC employees, Coates told them what they should do if they spot bedbugs, which are are visible as small dots on mattresses, furniture and other surfaces.
“If you suspect that you see a live or dead bedbug in your office, a hallway, a bathroom or a common area, please do not smash it — instead, stick it with a piece of tape (to ensure we can identify and document the siting),” he wrote.
He added that employees may want to put the tape with the trapped bug in an envelope to avoid dislodging, but he cautioned to “be careful not to squash.” He also told workers to notify their supervisors if they see bedbugs.
“We understand this may be an inconvenience, and we appreciate your cooperation as we take these precautionary measures to ensure a safe and comfortable work environment for everyone,” Coates wrote. “Thank you for your understanding and support.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, bedbugs bite people and animals at night, feeding on their blood while they sleep. Wingless and ranging in size from 1 to 7 millimeters, the reddish brown bugs are not known to spread diseases to people, though their bites cause “intense itching,,” irritation and loss of sleep.
“You can find bed bugs anywhere, from North and South America, to Africa, Asia, and Europe,” the CDC says on its website. “Bed bugs are in five-star hotels and resorts. How clean a place is does not determine whether bed bugs are present.”
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bedbugs found at state office in Tallahassee, raising employee concerns
Reporting by Jeff Burlew, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
