Leading the Way in Safe Pest Control
Oct. 24, 2005-- Buddy McCarty, WCPSS Environmental Health and Safety supervisor, accepted a Leadership Award on behalf of the school system at N.C. State University’s School Integrated Pest Management Recognition Awards Ceremony Oct. 24 at the McKimmon Center. NCSU presented McCarty with a plaque, certificate and letter, with a $500 check and a book on structural pest control to come 
later.
WCPSS is one of the first school districts in the state to implement the IPM program, a long-term, common sense approach to pest control that dramatically reduces the risk of exposure to pesticides for students, teachers and staff. Control strategies include structural and procedural modifications that reduce pests’ harborage and access to food and water. IPM utilizes walk-through inspections, monitoring devices, sanitation, and exclusion. Basically, the idea is to use as little liquid chemical as possible.
“It is a fact that children suffer more now from asthma and allergies than at anytime before,” said McCarty. “IPM is the future for pest control in schools.”
Environmental Health and Safety works in conjunction with Energy Management, requiring that cracks and holes be patched and door sweeps installed to keep vermin out and heat or cool air in. The success of the program requires the cooperation of all school staff as well. McCarty placed “sighting logs” in each school’s main office and asked that whenever pests are observed, staff note it in the log. When performing monthly preventive maintenance, IPM staff check the logs first to see where problems may have occurred. Keeping the logs up to date allows them to go directly to the area of concern, working much more efficiently and drastically reducing the number of work orders.
McCarty is a member of the original N.C. IPM committee, which started meeting in 1997, and was instrumental in bringing IPM to Wake County schools. WCPSS’ Environmental Health and Safety Department began implementing IPM practices in 1998-99; Superintendent Bill McNeal and his administrative cabinet endorsed the program in November 2003; and the Board of Education approved an official policy (7212) in August 2005.