[Fuusm-l] Bedbugs! Please read every word! !

[Dawn Hewitt, FUUSM office assistant]

Dear FUUSM members and friends,

The FUUSM Board of Trustees asked me to notify all of you that two separate
and unrelated member households are battling bedbug infestations.

Note: *FUUSM does not have a bedbug infestation* and is not likely to face
such a problem. Panic and overaction are neither helpful nor productive.

First, please watch this video:
https://youtu.be/f0X042Bk_gQ?si=XKM8TwS_tyiUD9w2  . It is enormously
informative, calming, and helpful.

Second, when one bedbug was observed crawling out of a bag brought in by
one of the households—several months ago—I called the Washington County
Health Department pest inspector to ask him to come to FUUSM and check for
bedbugs. He said he has never seen a bedbug infestation in a church
building in his many years of experience, because the church sits empty for
long periods of time every week. There's just not enough human activity
there to be suitable habitat for a bedbug aggregation. He said something to
the effect of, "You saw one bedbug?  It would be a waste of my time and
yours for me to come inspect your church. I won't find anything."

And no bedbugs were found at FUUSM for many months.

In the past few weeks however, several bedbugs were found at FUUSM—on
members of the households who have infestations. Vic sprayed with bedbug
insecticide the places where the individuals had been sitting; later, I
"bombed" the nursery. Both efforts were probably unnecessary, because FUUSM
DOES NOT HAVE A BEDBUG INFESTATION.

But FUUSM could become a bedbug "depot" if we are not careful. Please watch
the video link above to learn how to identify bedbugs—and* how to inspect
your belongings* to make sure you didn't pick one up.

Third: Although bedbug bites cause rashes on some people (not everyone),
bedbugs are not known to carry disease. They are really, truly difficult to
get rid of once an infestation occurs (and being blood-suckers, they're
gross) but they are not a threat to human health.

Fourth: This is not a reason to panic—which won't help at all. Rather, this
is a time for caution and vigilantly paying attention. Please help by not
panicking, and by being alert.

Thanks! Now, please watch that video!! Seriously!!


-- 
Dawn Hewitt
Office assistant
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta
232 Third St.
Marietta, OH 45750
(740)373-1238
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m.--2 p.m.
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