Public Health Alerts and Warnings

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

Bird Flu and Pandemic Flu

Bird flu and pandemic flu seem to be in the news daily lately.

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. Such a plan by necessity will be very comprehensive and will take some time to complete. Numerous stakeholders in the community will have a role in creating this plan. As details of our plan are finalized they will be shared with county residents.

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.

Wind Chill Index

Picture of young boy out in snow with scarf blowing.

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 to several credible Web sites with charts and other useful information on this subject..

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

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

Letter from Dr. Doniger to Area School Superintendents

Dear Superintendent,

Every winter, we are faced with the challenges associated with protecting our children against cold weather. As the research on this subject has changed over time, I have provided you with information to assist in this decision.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issues warnings via the media when wind chills of –25°F are predicted (see attached chart). The NWS, however, does not make any recommendations as to when schools should close based upon temperature or wind chill. The New York State Education Department does not issue such guidance. Health Departments have no legal authority on when to close schools due to weather conditions.

Temperatures can vary widely within Monroe County and therefore among school districts. For instance, wind chill temperatures along the lakeshore can be very different than in downtown Rochester. So the question remains: “how cold is too cold to have school?” Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer to this question. As noted in the chart, frostbite can occur on “exposed” skin in about 30 minutes at wind chills of –25°F. At wind chills of –40°F, frostbite can affect “exposed” skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Local meteorologists typically forecast a range of temperatures. They will often use language such as “we are expecting wind chill temperatures of -25°F to –35°F in the morning.” As noted above, temperatures in this range can become dangerous depending on how children are dressed, whether students have to walk to school, if they have long waits for the bus, etc. After discussing this with the NWS, wind chills of -25°F to –40°F seem to be the right “range” of temperatures to consider closing schools. I believe it is impractical to pick an exact temperature to suggest to you as the absolute “closure” point. Wind chill temperatures anywhere in this range coupled with other factors unique to your school district can be dangerous. One can’t say, for instance, that –24°F is safe, and –25°F is unsafe.

We receive many calls each winter on this subject. We have posted a link to the NWS on the Monroe County website so you can easily share this information with others in your district.

Closing school based upon weather is never an easy decision. I believe you have always used good judgement and I am confident that you will continue to do so.

Sincerely,
Andrew S. Doniger, M.D., M.P.H.
Director of Health

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

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.

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.

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

Picture of woman working in protective suit.

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

Picture of woman covering mouth as she coughs.

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.