PARSIPPANY, N.J.  — As part of its Pest Management Pledge to the People of Haiti, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is sending a fourth delegation for a three-day mission to the island nation next week. The delegates will continue the organization’s efforts to assist with pest problems in medical facilities and to offer further training and mentoring to Haitian workers on how to protect against such severe pest problems in the future. 

NPMA was chosen by the Haitian Minister of Environment to provide professional pest management services in several hospitals that have become overrun with pests including flies, mosquitoes, rodents and cockroaches in the aftermath of the January earthquake.  Western Pest Services, a New Jersey-based pest management company serving communities throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, is one of the companies that will assist in this important Haitian relief effort. Western is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins, Inc.

“We are proud to be a part of this delegation and are pleased that we can offer our pest management expertise to this relief effort,” said Tom Walters, president of Western Pest Services. “The Haitian people’s lives were forever changed last year and we are honored to be able to provide continued support as they rebuild.”  

Western's representative on the trip is Hope Bowman. In her position at Western Pest Services, Bowman leads customer staff trainings on effective pest management practices, provides in-house continuing education on the latest pest control technologies to Western’s technicians, and helps maintain superior quality assurance for the services Western provides to its customers. She is also a board-certified entomologist.

“There is much work to be done, but NPMA and our members are committed to helping minimize the health risks from pest infestations in the hospital facilities,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “The work our delegations perform will be crucial in keeping the sick from getting sicker.”

Some of the health risks posed by pests include the transmission of pathogens and bacteria such as e.Coli and Salmonella that can result in illness and disease, increased potential for asthma attacks and respiratory distress due to cockroach and rodent allergens and food contamination.

For more information on the National Pest Management Association, its involvement in the Haitian relief effort or for details about pest issues, visit www.npmapestworld.org. Learn more about Western Pest Services by visiting www.westernpest.com