How to celebrate Mosquito Control Awareness Week

As PMP reported yesterday, the 19th annual National Mosquito Control Awareness Week takes place June 21-27, 2015.  It’s spearheaded by the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), an international organization of nearly 2,000 public health professionals that has been dedicated to preserving the public’s health and well-being through safe, environmentally sound mosquito control programs since 1935. During “NMCAW,” the AMCA’s goal is to educate the public about the significance of mosquitoes in their daily lives and the important service provided by mosquito control workers throughout the United States and worldwide.

Here are eight ideas on how pest management professionals (PMPs) can spread the word, courtesy of the AMCA:

1. Distribute a press release, a la MosquitoNix. (The AMCA offers a PDF template here)
2. Contact your local radio station and offer to be a guest expert.
3. Contact your local elementary school and offer to talk about mosquitoes (or, since school’s out for the summer, hit up public libraries, child care centers and/or senior centers).
4. Contact your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop and offer to teach about mosquitoes. (A sample program PDF can be downloaded here)
5. Set up an informational display in your community.
6. Hold an open house at your district.
7. Set up a tire drive.
8. Distribute repellent packets in your community.

PMPs could even hold a blood drive with employees, a la Mosquito Joe’s “Beat the Bloodsuckers” campaign.

The AMCA also advises PMPs to educate customers on the THREE D’s of mosquito prevention — Drain, Dress and Defend:

 Drain: Empty out water containers at least once per week

 Dress: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and light-colored, loose-fitting clothing

 Defend: Properly apply an approved repellent such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon-eucalyptus.

Got more ideas? Sound off below!