As the rainy season gets under way, the City of Miami is asking residents to keep mosquito safety top of mind.
The city is doing its part to “fight the bite” by taking proactive steps to limit mosquito breeding in the coming months.
“We are taking every step to limit the mosquito population in the months ahead and are working to educate our residents about how they can help the cause, too,” said city manager Emilio Gonzalez. “Our city departments are working together with the safety, health, and quality of life of our residents in mind.”
The City of Miami is taking the following actions, among others:
• Code Compliance, Solid Waste, and NET are educating residents and business owners about conditions that lead to mosquito breeding, and identifying locations that could be sources of mosquito breeding for follow-up action.
• The Department of Human Services’ Homeless Outreach is distributing insect repellent towelettes and sprays.
• Public Works is doing larvicide treatments in open drains, and inspecting roadway construction sites, open trenches and storage bins, looking for standing water.
• Parks and Recreation is identifying potential mosquito breeding locations to take preventative steps that include applying larvicide treatments and mitigating standing water, in addition to educating staff on steps to take to preventative measures to reduce their exposure while working outdoors.
• The Building Department is enforcing permit conditions that address mosquito mitigation, and inspecting properties under construction looking for open trenches and storage bins.
• Emergency Management is coordinating closely with the Florida Department of Health and Federal officials to ensure the city has the most up-to-date information from its partner agencies.
• Residents are asked to help this important effort by draining any standing water on their properties and covering receptacles that collect water (empty plant pots, garbage bins, containers, etc.). This is vital to limiting mosquito breeding, as the insects can reproduce in spaces as small as a bottle cap full of water. Residents are also encouraged to protect against mosquito bites by wearing long clothing and using repellent.
