Health Information Line

A Health Information Line is frequently used when specific immediate actions are required of the public to safeguard their health or to provide general information such as locations of flu clinics.

Health Information Line: 585 753-5600

Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law

The Monroe County Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law became effective January 1, 2006. It requires various groups applying pesticides to provide certain types of notification to neighbors.

This story provides the highlights that each group is required to follow. There are a number of guidance materials attached below that provide very detailed information about how to comply with the law. Failure to comply with the law can result in fines.

There are four basic groups that must comply with this law. The primary notification requirement is listed for each group:

• Commercial Pesticide Applicators, who previously were required to post lawn signs when applying pesticides, are now required to provide at least a 48-hour notice to neighbors (within 150 feet) of the property being treated with pesticides. This notification is required only when the applicator is using sprayed pesticides (liquid or aerosol) to the ground, trees, or shrubs. Use of granular products and certain other applications, including spot treatments of less than 9 square feet, are exempt from the 48-hour neighbor notification requirement.
• Landlords (rental/apartments) within 150 feet of the property being treated will be notified by commercial applicators 48-hours prior to sprayed pesticides being applied. They are then required to inform the occupants of such dwellings 24-hours in advance of the pesticide being applied.
• Retailers that sell products covered by this law are required to post signs near where pesticides are being sold informing homeowners about their requirement to use lawn markers.
• Homeowners are required to place markers on their lawn if applying any form of pesticide (including granular) to more than 100 square feet of their property. It is also recommended that they inform their neighbors prior to application of pesticides, although the latter is not required. If homeowners utilize a commercial applicator, the company will take care of necessary notifications.

Note: It is important to understand that this law only covers products (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides) meant to kill weeds, lawn insects (such as grubs), and other garden and tree pests. The law does not apply to applications of fertilizer. A number of products and practices are exempt from the law. See below for a list of exemptions and other more detailed explanations of the law.

To report a violation or to have questions answered about the Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law, contact the Monroe County Department of Public Health at 753-PEST (753-7378) or by e-mail. If reporting a violation, please be prepared to provide:

• date when product was applied
• approximate time when product was applied
• address where the product was applied
• name of company applying the product
• your name, address, phone number or e-mail, so we can follow-up with you

Visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website for more information.

Related Information

• Neighbor Notification Law FAQs (140k PDF)
• Products/Applications Exempt from Law (28k PDF)
• Local Law #2 of 2005 (732k PDF)
• Neighbor Notification Brochure for Homeowners (139k PDF)
• Neighbor Notification Signs for Homeowners (79k PDF)
• Notification Sign for Retailers (22k PDF)

Bird Flu and Pandemic Flu

Monroe County is working closely with state and federal health officials to develop a “commmunity plan” for how to deal with such a health threat. Numerous stakeholders in our community will have a role in developing this plan.

Visit the Pandemic Flu Resource Page

Factual, Unbiased Information

Staying current on this issue is very important. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for more information. This site is kept very current and is the best source for factual, unbiased information on this subject.

We understand that this issue can be very alarming. Being informed and prepared are key to dealing with this potential health threat.

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Wind Chill Index

During the winter months in Rochester, the combined effect of wind and temperature—known as the Wind Chill Index (WCI)—can be very dangerous. The method used to calculate the WCI was revised in 2001 after many decades. We have posted links below to several credible Web sites with charts and other useful information on this subject and a 2004 letter to school superintendents.

• Wind Chill Index Chart
• Buffalo Office, National Weather Service
• CDC Extreme Cold Prevention Guide

Download the Superintendent Letter On Cold Weather (89k PDF).

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is an illness transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The illness is most serious for older people; healthy children and younger adults are at very low-risk for serious WNV infection.

Download the Larvicides Brochure (23k PDF).

More Information on West Nile Virus

• Centers for Disease Control–West Nile Virus
• West Nile Virus CDC Brochure

WNV: Dead Crow Report Form

The Monroe County Department of Public Health uses reports of dead crows as one tool to track the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) in our community and to gauge the risk of this illness to humans.

While many bird species are affected by WNV, crows seem to be particularly susceptible. For this reason, only crows should be reported at this time. Crows are very large birds, usually over a foot and a half in length. They are considerably larger than blackbirds or starlings, which are often mistaken for crows. Crows are completely black in color, including their beak and feet.

There are several options to report dead crows:

• Call 585 753-5171 during business hours (8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday).
• Call 585 753-5600 after business hours or on the weekend (to leave a message).
• Submit the attached on-line form anytime.

Because it is assumed that WNV will re-emerge this year, only a small number of crows will be submitted for testing (several each week will be selected from calls made to staff during the work day).

Birds reported online or left by message after-hours should be disposed of in the trash after making the report. Be sure to wear gloves or use a shovel to avoid direct hand contact with the bird, double bag it and dispose of it in the trash. Although birds cannot transmit WNV to humans, we still recommend such precautions as an extra measure of safety.

Again, even though most birds will not need to be tested this year, reports of dead crows are still very important to us. We plot the locations of dead crows reported to us on a map and compare such patterns to prior years. Doing so enables us to get a sense for how much WNV activity there is in a particular area and to determine if other measures should be taken.

Thank you for assisting in our efforts to track WNV and in protecting the public’s health.

Dead Crow Report Form

Please fill in your contact information:
First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Street address

Apartment or suite

City

State

Zip code

Daytime phone

e-Mail address

Date crow was found

Location/Address Where Dead Crow Found (only if different from home adress)

Retype security code:

 

Submit

Hot Weather Prevention Tips

Extreme heat causes approximately 200 deaths each year in the U.S. and many more hospitalizations. The combination of heat and humidity produce something called the Heat Index (analogous to the Wind Chill factor in the winter). The Heat Index is often referred to as the “feels like” temperature, when relative humidity is taken into account.

The National Weather Service issues advisories when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105 degrees. Older people and the very young are most susceptible to extreme heat.

During periods of prolonged hot weather it is wise to be careful. Attached are materials with useful heat-safety information.

• Heat Wave—National Weather Service (274k PDF)
• Heat Index Chart 
• Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

Ozone Advisory

Ozone is created when sunlight reacts with chemicals from gasoline vapors, car exhaust, and industrial smoke stacks. It is usually worst in the latter part of the day during summer months. People who work outside and those with breathing problems such as asthma are advised to limit their outdoor activities when ozone levels are high.

See Ozone Warnings for more detail.

Bioterrorism

Anthrax spread through the U.S. Mail System and the threat of Smallpox being used as a biological weapon have caused us to become familiar with a new word: Bioterrorism. The Public Health system—federal, state, and local—works jointly with numerous other organizations to prepare for such threats.

See Related Links for a thorough explanation of biological and chemical agents that criminals/ terrorists may try to use as weapons.

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cover Your Cough

To help prevent transmission of respiratory infections within medical practices and in the community, we are promoting the concept of “Cover Your Cough.” The attached materials describe various practices—including frequent hand washing—that will reduce the spread of various illnesses like flu and the common cold.

We encourage you to share this information with your patients and staff.

Cover Your Cough Promotional Materials

• Download the Cover Your Cough Poster (96k PDF).
• Download the Cover Your Cough Brochure (168k PDF).

Learn more from the CDC Hand Hygiene Guidelines Fact Sheet.