The Oswego County Health Department plans to conduct aerial spraying over the Toad Harbor / Big Bay Swamp area, which includes portions of the village of Central Square and towns of Hastings, West Monroe and Constantia on Thursday, Sept. 21. Spraying will begin at 5:45 p.m., weather permitting.

Oswego County has been working with state partners to conduct aerial spraying following last week’s report of Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in the Toad Harbor / Big Bay Swamp area. The state Department of Health declared the virus an imminent threat to public health in Oswego County.

The area to be sprayed is approximately 10,000 acres within these boundaries: US Rte. 11 in Central Square to the west, NYS Rte. 49 to the north, up to but not including the village of Constantia to the east; and the shoreline of Oneida Lake to the south. Pesticide will not be applied over the open waters of Oneida Lake.

Aerial spraying is dependent on weather conditions. If spraying is postponed due to weather conditions, residents will be notified through the news media and information will be posted on the Oswego County website at oswegocounty.com.

Residents within the spray area will be notified of the spraying by the Hyper-Reach Broadcast Notification Service through Oswego County’s E-9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department.

To receive community alerts by wireless phone, text message and TTY, register for the Hyper-Reach Broadcast Notification Service through Oswego County’s E-9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department at oswegocounty.com/911 or call the E-9-1-1 administrative office at 315-349-8215 or 1-800-679-3911 to request a registration form. Landline phone customers don’t need to register because their numbers are provided to the E-9-1-1 department by the telephone companies that serve Oswego County.

Residents in the spray area should stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m.

They are also advised to:

• Keep pets indoors.
• Close vents on window air conditioners so that outside air doesn’t enter the home.
• Remove outdoor toys, outdoor furniture, and clothing from the clothesline. Items left outdoors should be washed thoroughly with soap and water before using.
• If you are driving through an area while spraying takes place, close your car windows and vents.
• Cover gardens, and rinse homegrown fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking or eating.

The health department received permission and permits required to conduct aerial spraying from the state departments of Health and Environmental Conservation. The product Kontrol 30-30, which contains permethrin, will be applied in a diluted form. The county has contracted with Duflo Spray-Chemical from Lowville to conduct the aerial spraying.

A copy of the pesticide label and safety data sheet (SDS) including warnings and fact sheets about permethrin aerial spraying can be found on the Oswego County website at https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/environmental1/mosquitoes.php, or obtained by calling the Oswego County Health Department at 315-349-3564 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.  After 4 p.m., call 315-341-0086.

Aerial spraying is used to reduce the population of mosquitoes that carry EEEV, an extremely rare but serious infection that causes encephalitis or inflammation of the brain and is often fatal. Though effective, aerial spraying is a temporary control measure, and people throughout Oswego County are urged to continue protecting themselves from mosquitoes.

They should limit their outdoor activities around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active; use insect repellents; wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, shoes and socks when outdoors; and eliminate standing water around the home.

For more information about protecting your family against mosquitoes, call the Oswego County Health Department at 315-349-3547 or visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2731/.

AERIAL SPRAYING OVER TOAD HARBOR / BIG BAY SWAMP AREAS – Map shows the area where aerial spraying is planned for Thursday, Sept. 21, weather permitting. Spraying will begin after 5:45 p.m. and residents are advised to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. For more information, go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/environmental1/mosquitoes.php