Oswego County Plans Aerial Spraying Tonight, Aug. 7

OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County is planning to conduct aerial spraying of approximately 10,000 acres in portions of the towns of Hastings, West Monroe and Constantia on Thursday, Aug. 7 after 6 p.m. As aerial spraying is weather dependent, the rain date is planned for Friday, Aug. 8.

The area to be sprayed is within these boundaries: U.S. Route 11 in Central Square to the west, NYS Route 49 to the north, up to but not including the village of Constantia to the east; and the shoreline of Oneida Lake to the south. Pesticide will not be applied over the open waters of Oneida Lake.

Residents within the spray area will be notified of the spraying by the Hyper-Reach Broadcast Notification Service through Oswego County’s E-911 Emergency Communications Department. If spraying is postponed due to weather conditions, residents will be notified through news media and information will be posted at www.oswegocounty.com.

Residents in the spray area should stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed between 6 and 10 p.m. They are also advised to:

• Keep pets indoors.
• Close window air conditioner vents so outside air doesn’t enter the home for one hour.
• Remove outdoor toys, outdoor furniture, and clothing from the clothesline. Items left outdoors should be washed thoroughly with soap and water before using.
• If you are driving through an area while spraying occurs, close car windows and vents.
• Cover gardens and rinse homegrown fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking or eating.

The health department received the permit required to conduct aerial spraying from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The product Kontrol 30-30, which contains permethrin, will be applied in a diluted form. The county has contracted with Duflo Spray-Chemical from Lowville to conduct the aerial spraying.

A copy of the pesticide label and safety data sheet (SDS) including warnings and fact sheets about permethrin aerial spraying can be found on the Oswego County Health Department’s website at https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/environmental1/mosquitoes.php, or obtained by calling the department at 315-349-3564 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.  After 4 p.m., call 315-341-0086.

Earlier this week, the state Department of Health declared Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) an “imminent threat to public health” in Oswego County. It is an extremely rare but serious infection spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. EEEV causes encephalitis or inflammation of the brain and is often fatal. Aerial spraying is a temporary control measure used to reduce the population of mosquitoes that may carry EEEV.

Oswego County residents who would like to receive community alerts by wireless phones, text messages and TTY may register for the Hyper-Reach Broadcast Notification Service through the County’s E-911 Emergency Communications Department at www.oswegocounty.com/911 or by calling the office at 315-349-8215 or 1-800-679-3911 to request a registration form. Landline phone customers don’t need to register because their numbers are provided to E-911 by phone companies that serve Oswego County.

For more information about protecting your family against mosquitoes, call the Oswego County Health Department at 315-349-3547 or visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2731/.

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