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Quarterly Newsletter and Updates
Winter 2022
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Rezoning means a new face...maybe | |
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Our District divides Alameda County into zones, and each technician has a zone they oversee. For decades we had the same ten zones, but as new housing projects open and climate change interferes with rain patterns, we saw a need to modify how technicians are deployed throughout the county. With an eye to efficiency and recognition of local traffic patterns, we embarked on a process to reshape our zones. We contracted with Sky Mihaylo, a grad student at UC Berkeley Goldman School of Management, to assess how service requests have changed and speak with staff about their workloads. After reviewing multiple years of data and conducting interviews with the staff, Sky provided a report to the District about potential areas of concern and where the zone boundaries could potentially shift. Over the course of the next few months, staff dug into the minutia of the proposed changes. Each zone had to be carefully detailed for technicians' maps, and updated in our database, MapVision. In the end, zones changed slightly, so our technicians had to train each other in the areas they were giving up, and the areas they were gaining. Finally in October of this year, 10 months after the initial interviews, the new zones were set. We consolidated ten zones into eight zones so there may be a few new faces in areas along the zone boundaries, particularly in North Oakland and Fremont. Moving forward, we will assess our zones every ten years. | | | |
Response to Aedes aegypti on Alameda County border |  | |
On October 19th, ACMAD lab director Eric Haas-Stapleton received a call about a possible Aedes aegypti identification along the Alameda County-Santa Clara border in Milpitas. Two Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were found in a trap in an industrial area less than a mile from Fremont. Within two hours ACMAD laboratory staff and field technicians reached the area and supported Santa Clara County Vector Control District by searching the location and surrounding area for Aedes aegypti. The ACMAD lab placed over 150 traps along the border and monitored them daily. Our public relations team updated Aedes aegypti materials on our website, answered questions about the detection and sent out a press release. Thankfully after a week, neither agency detected additional Aedes aegypti in the area.
General Manager, Ryan Clausnitzer, credits our strong relationship with neighboring districts for the fast response. “Mosquitoes don’t care about county borders. Controlling and abating invasive mosquitoes in the Bay Area requires collaboration between counties, and we are committed to doing our part both here in Alameda County and beyond. We are proud of our strong relationship we have with Santa Clara and other districts throughout the state.” Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito that is quickly establishing itself throughout California, so we are preparing to combat them in Alameda County. ACMAD is using a three-pronged approach, which is informed by best practices in Integrated Pest Management: preventative and direct response work by our field operations, surveillance and research from our lab, and public outreach and education from our outreach team. In a recent discussion with Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Moss, Eric Haas-Stapleton predicted we will have detected Aedes aegypti in Alameda County within the next five years. Given the limited tools we currently have to combat the invasive mosquito, we will continue to learn about new technologies and will enhance collaboration with partners throughout California to develop new ways to limit Aedes aegypti spread.
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We like to find where mosquitoes produce, so if you experience mosquito bites at home, at your office or even in the middle of a field, give us a call at 510-783-7744 and we'll go out and investigate. | |
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Departure: After seven and a half years, Jeremy Sette will be hanging up his mud boots and leaving ACMAD in mid-December. Jeremy began as a seasonal worker and became permanent in 2015, overseeing Zones 5 and 7, which included Hayward, Union City and Fremont, as well as small areas of San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. During his time at the district, he went beyond his field technician duties by taking management courses and assuming a significant role in training both seasonal and full-time technicians as well as serving as the minute taker for Board of Trustee meetings. He was among the first to complete certification to become a UAS pilot and lead multiple drone treatment missions. His legacy will live on most notably on our website, in our video The Dance of the Larvae, which he shot and composed himself, along with composing the district’s cinematic hold music. Thank you for your service, Jeremy, and we wish you well in your future endeavors.
Arrival: Alex Roche is our new Field Technician after working as a seasonal employee. We have been impressed with his strong work ethic and creative problem solving he applied to field operations. Welcome, Alex!
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Events Wrap up for 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the district came back full force with 15 events, two parades and numerous school presentations. In total we spoke to over 5,700 residents. This year we attended new events such as the Khmer New Year in East Oakland and Berkeley's Juneteenth Festival, along with previous favorites including Hayward 3rd Thursdays and the San Leandro Cherry Parade. We look forward to attending more events in 2023 and expanding our footprint in different neighborhoods and with different communities. If you know of an event, parade or school that would be able to benefit from our involvement, please reach out to public outreach coordinator Judith Pierce at judith@mosquitoes.org
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West Nile Virus Location Update | |
Alameda County has not detected West Nile virus in 2022, and mosquito abundance naturally decreases during colder seasons in Alameda County. As a best practice, our lab will still test suitable dead birds for West Nile virus (WNV). If you come across a dead bird please report it online at www.westnile.ca.gov. Mosquitoes enjoy periods of rain followed by sunshine, which the county has experienced recently. Preventative activities such as removing standing water, adding mosquito fish to ponds, troughs, and neglected swimming pools, reduce our risk of West Nile virus. Even though it is cold, get into the habit of checking for standing water in your yard and drain or cover anything that will hold water longer than 4 days. Visit our backyard checklist to see common places where mosquitoes produce.
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Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
510-783-7744
acmad@mosquitoes.org
www.mosquitoes.org
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