PCO Donates Fogger to Tsunami Relief Effort

Richard Alexander

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Richard Alexander, president of Pest Express, Centennial, Colo., is lending a hand in the South Asia tsunami relief efforts, by donating a thermal fogger to Veejai Ahluwalia, an Indian PCO providing pest control services in tsunami-stricken areas.

Alexander’s donation is to be used by Ahluwalia and his crew to provide services critical for stopping the spread of disease. The World Health Organization predicts that potentially 150,000 people could die from insect-borne disease in this region if problems are not addressed..

Specifically, the fogger can be used to control mosquito swarms. The tsunami flooded vast areas, creating many new insect breeding grounds. Fogging is considered an effective mosquito control method. A thermal fogger turns a small amount of pesticide into a large volume of smoke, which can penetrate deeply into mosquito hiding places.

Ahluwalia said he is very grateful for the donation and looks forward to using the fogger. He said he has requested government permission to use the fogger in tsunami-affected areas and is awaiting approval, which he expects to happen later this month.

Alexander added that fellow PCO Dave Willis, Pioneer Pest Management, Hamlin, N.Y., helped make this donation happen by arranging international shipping to Ahluwalia.