CHICAGO'S ALL-OUT BLITZ

What once was an issue of concern for a large Midwest urban area is now under control, thanks to proactive measures by Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation, Bureau of Rodent Control.

In the late 1970s, the "Windy City" experienced a challenging rat problem. Four out of every five blocks were infested. Today, with newer rodenticides, plus the development and implementation of effective programs, the rat population has dramatically decreased, said Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Al Sanchez.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has supported a comprehensive rodent abatement program that incorporates new strategies to reduce the rodent population and the city’s IPM plan has changed in recent years. "We’ve had programs in place, but over the last 10 years, they’ve really evolved," said Odessa Stribling, deputy commissioner for the city’s Bureau of Rodent Control.

A PROACTIVE APPROACH. Stribling credits residents’ involvement and education as factors in the success of the program. Instead of handling the rat problem solely through the Bureau of Rodent Control, the city is educating residents on how they can be part of the solution. "In the past, our crews would go and bait alleys if we got a complaint," Stribling said. "Now, we try to focus more on community involvement, working with and educating residents."

A key component of the abatement program involves distribution of educational "rat packs" to residents who experience rodent problems. Josie Cruz, general superintendent of the Bureau of Rodent Control, said when a technician responds to a complaint, he or she meets with the individual, pinpoints the area of the property where rats were sighted, determines the best way to eliminate the infestation and provides the resident with a comprehensive rat pack. "By having this and other programs in place, we’re being very proactive," Cruz said.

The rat pack includes a "Target: Rats" brochure, which provides examples of how residents can do their part to prevent rat harborage, a step-by-step guide detailing how rats can be eliminated, as well as information on the city’s sanitation code and rat-proofing procedures.

"A lot of what we are asking people to do are little things to control their property. Proper storage, containment of garbage — these are things that prevent harborage," Stribling said.

KEEPING A LID ON IT. Something as minor as keeping lids on trash bins can have a major effect on the spread of rats. With that in mind, the city provides its residents with oversized trash cans with rodent-resistant lids. The cans are 96-gallon trash containers with lids that prevent rats from feeding inside. According to city officials, about 90 percent of the rat infestations in Chicago can be attributed to the careless disposal of edible food items. Garbage receptacles with broken or open lids attract rats, as does food left outside of the containers.

Businesses are encouraged to be mindful of disposal efforts. They are required to use bins large enough to not overflow between collections. The city also monitors restaurants through Daley’s Dumpster Task Force. If guidelines are not followed, business owners can be issued tickets, fined and closed for unsanitary conditions.

Similarly, "rat stoppage tickets" are issued to property owners who allow the exterior of their properties to become dilapidated, providing harborage for rats. If owners fail to correct the problem within a reasonable time, the city can complete the work and bill the owner.

BAITING FOR SUCCESS. Working hand-in-hand with these enforcement and citizen-action programs, intensive rodenticide baiting has also made an impact. The Chicago rodent control bureau used to rely on older anticoagulants but switched to Maki rodenticides from LiphaTech in the early ’90s.

Single-feed anticoagulants provide a lethal dose in a single day’s feeding and the bait works within four to five days, LiphaTech reports. Stribling said the city has had excellent results from Maki, which has been used primarily in pellet form.

The author is a writer at Nelson & Schmidt, a marketing communications firm in Milwaukee. She can be reached at smost@pctonline.com.