FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Missy Henriksen

National Pest Management Association

mhenriksen@pestworld.org

(703) 352-6762

The National PEst Management Association responds to ongoing crisis in Haiti

Representatives from NPMA travel to Haiti to assess pest situation and offer assistance

Fairfax, VA (May 3, 2010) — The National Pest Management Association responds to a country in need as it answers a request by the Haitian Minister of Environment to provide professional pest management services in Haiti. NPMA delegates will travel to Haiti on May 5, 2010, for a two-day mission to assess current pest issues and potential infestation risk factors.  According to sources on the ground in Haiti, Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas are overrun with pests in the aftermath of the January earthquake.

 “This mission is critical for determining the depth of services and support needed in Haiti and our members are ready to take action,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “The outpouring of pledges to help — whether it’s volunteers to travel to Haiti, donating materials or financial support — has been tremendous and we are eager to provide relief and eliminate potential health risks.”

 “The conditions facing the Haitian people, whether in the hospitals or the camps, are dire.  As we all know from Hurricane Katrina, natural disasters can turn living conditions in a First World country upside down in an instant.  It’s unimaginable what can happen when a natural disaster strikes a Third World country like Haiti,” added Henriksen.

Haiti has requested that NPMA treat severe infestations of flies, rodents and cockroaches found in the camps and medical facilities. Upon their return, the NPMA team will review their findings and create an action plan that will be executed over the coming months.

Delegates from the NPMA team will be blogging live from Haiti.  Those interested in following their experiences can check out http://npmablog.wordpress.com. Members who would like to pledge labor, materials, equipment or monetary donations are asked to contact Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the NPMA, via e-mail at mhenriksen@pestworld.org. 

The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 7,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health, food and property.

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