[Viewpoint] Winning The Rat Race

With the publication of PCT’s annual rodent control issue each August, I am always reminded of the important role pest management professionals play in protecting public health. That’s because rodents are one of nature’s most accomplished disease-transmitting pests and rodent control is one of the most widespread service offerings in the pest control industry.

Whether you live in a warm climate that provides both outdoor and indoor harborages for rodents, or in a seasonal climate — when the onset of cooler weather chases rodents indoors — chances are you have your "hands full" with rodent service requests. And rodents are non-discriminatory pests. In urban areas, rodents have taken advantage of aging structures in need of repair, while the ongoing trend to build housing subdivisions into more rural areas has displaced many rodents from their natural habitats. These and other factors make it a pretty darn good bet that rodent control will remain a popular service offering.

Rodent control is critically important because these pests can readily infest highly sensitive accounts, including schools (see related story on page 42). In fact, large urban school districts such as Chicago have implemented large-scale rodent control campaigns.

Outbreaks of diseases such as E. coli and mad cow disease have made the public more aware of the importance of safeguarding the nation’s food supply. For years, pest management professionals have been on the frontlines of this campaign via rodent control and rodentproofing efforts at accounts such as food-processing facilities and food warehouses. While diseases such as hantavirus and plague are most often associated with rodents, these pests are responsible for a multitude of problems. For example, rats can cause power outages or even fires by chewing through wires.

The entire pest control industry plays a role in rodent control whether it be the manufacturer developing innovative products; the owner/operator designing and implementing creative service offerings (e.g., exclusion programs); or the service technician performing the work. NPMA has gotten into the act with TV commercials/public service announcements explaining the dangers of rodents and the importance of hiring pest management professionals.

PCT’s role is reporting on the latest product developments, trends and market updates. For example, PCT spoke with Bruce Carter, president of Carter Services, Farmington, N.M., for the June Market Watch department, and we learned of the potential for another hantavirus outbreak in the four corners region (see related story on page 50). Market Watch has become a must-read in PCT and we’ve enjoyed interviewing PCOs to find out about market conditions in their area. We’ve tried to target PCOs throughout the country to a get a broad national perspective, but we realize there are others out there who want to share their experiences as well. So if you have good insights into the pest control market in your area, or if your company is having success with innovative programs, let us know. Give us a call or shoot us off an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you!

The author is Internet editor of PCT Online.