Press release

GALION – The Galion City Health Department has received a Mosquito Control Grant from the Ohio EPA to help with mosquito control activities. The grant program helps local agencies to protect human health from potential mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and West Nile.

Galion Health Commissioner Trish Factor accepted a check for $18,000 during a May 17 ceremony held in Columbus.

The requested funds will be used for the following:

  • $9,000 for Source Reduction – spring clean-up efforts including tipping fees, dumpster costs, and any needs associated with the proper disposal of waste.
  • Reducing trash nuisances, especially scrap tires, eliminates possible breeding sites for mosquitos. A separate tire collection day will be scheduled for Galion.
  • $2,500 for Surveillance Activities – including equipment necessary for trapping, plan preparation and training, fuel for surveillance activities, and any IT equipment or services necessary for documentation of efforts.
  • Traps will be set to collect mosquito samples for testing to determine if any are carriers of disease.
  • $2,500 for Community Outreach/Larval control – brochures, posters, fliers, and dunks (for placement and distribution). Mosquito Dunks will be made available for residents to pick-up and place on their own properties. Mosquito Dunks are mosquito control products which attack mosquitoes in development stages, more specifically in larvae stage, killing them in a short amount of time.
  • $1,500 for Adult Control – for spray application to kill adult mosquitos.
  • $2,500 for a Seasonal/Temporary Employee – to perform mosquito control duties such as trap setting and sample submission. This will allow for the surveillance activities to take place. (Full-time employee salaries may not be covered with grant funds).

The range of activities funded by the grant will reduce the larval and adult mosquito population, and help eliminate possible breeding sites.

Residents can also help reduce the mosquito population by:

  • Getting rid of anything in the yard that can hold water or regularly emptying items like bird baths and wading pools.
  • Keeping gutters clean and unclogged. Be sure your downspouts drain properly, without leaving puddles in the drainage area.
  • Removing old tires.
  • Keeping swimming pools cleaned and chlorinated, even when not in use.

The health department received 111 nuisance reports in 2016. Such nuisance conditions often result from the improper storage and/or disposal of solid waste, or the accumulation of solid waste on premises. In addition to drawing mosquitos and animal pests, unsanitary premises may have old tires and watertight containers that give mosquitoes stagnant water in which to breed.

To help Galion residents reduce potential nuisances, the 2017 Clean Up Day in Galion is Saturday, June 17. Volunteers will be available that day to help the elderly and disabled clean up their yards. A drop off location for trash will be available at the Galion City Building. More details on the event will be announced soon.