Alameda County - Vector Control Services - (AHB) Task Force Response Plan

INTRODUCTION:

Africanized honeybees (AHB) were imported from Africa to Brazil in 1956 as part of a research project to genetically strengthen the existing European honeybees, and make them more adaptable to the tropical climate. In 1957, they were released from an apiary in Brazil and have spread and multiplied. AHB swarms were first detected in the United States in Texas in October of 1990 and have continued to spread westward to New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.

On October 24, 1994, the first AHB swarm discovered in California was found in Blythe. Eleven swarms were detected during the next year in Southern California and the first established hive was found in El Centro on October 5th, 1995. Two massive stinging i ncidents in Arizona resulted in the death of an 88 year-old woman in Apache Junction and the death of a man in his sixties in Cave Creek. On August 31, 1999 an 83-year-old beekeeper in Long Beach was stung over 100 times and subsequently died from the toxic affects of the bee venom. At this point in time (December 1999) the colonized area in California is approximately 48,900 square miles and includes all of Imperial County, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern, Ventura and Riverside Counties.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Alameda County AHB Response Plan is to establish response guidelines for public agencies and private organizations as the AHB range expands in California prior to and upon arrival in Alameda County. It includes the following:
1. Designate primary and secondary responders to AHB emergency and non-emergency incidents.
2. Establish a communications protocol and flow-chart (Appendix A) for reporting AHB incidents that will aid dispatching primary and secondary responders.
3. Adopt response and training methods and procedures for primary and secondary responders.
4. Establish guidelines for a public education and information network.
Definitions:

AHB Medical emergency:
An AHB incident which is life threatening to humans and/or animals caused by multiple stings or an allergic reaction to a single bee sting.

AHB Non-medical emergency:
A disturbed AHB colony in a defensive mode with high potential for stinging.

AHB Non-emergency:
A non-agitated AHB colony or swarm, no stinging.
Designation of primary and secondary responders to AHB Medical Emergency, AHB Non-medical Emergency and AHB Non-emergency.
1. AHB Medical Emergency
  1. Primary Responders: Fire, Police, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance.
    
    Responsibilities and duties:
    
    Fire and Emergency Medical Services ambulance shall adopt and use Emergency Rescue and Treatment Procedures recommended by the Alameda County Africanized Honeybee Task Force.
    
    Police and Sheriff Department Personnel shall be responsible for scene management to establish a "safe zone".
  2. Secondary Responders: The Alameda County Vector Control Services District (ACVCSD), USDA, Alameda County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures (Ag. Dept.), the Public Works Department (PWD) for the City of Emeryville, and the Recreation Department (RD) for the City of Fremont are secondary responders in Alameda County.
    
    Responsibilities and Duties:
    
    ACVCSD, USDA, Emeryville Public Works Department or Fremont Recreation Department shall eradicate the bee colony after the victim has been removed in accordance with the Alameda County AHB Task Force guidelines if it is a non-structural colony. If a structural infestation is found, the property owner will be instructed to call a private pest control company.
    
    Samples will be collected by Ag. Dept., USDA or ACVCSD and forwarded to Agriculture Department for identification or forwarding to California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for further testing.
    
    The Agriculture Department will be responsible for placement and monitoring of AHB traps and remnant traps after AHB nest or swarm eradication.
2. AHB Non-Medical Emergency:
  1. Primary Responders: ACVCSD, Agriculture Department, USDA, Police and Sheriff Departments, Public Works Department for City of Emeryville and Recreation Department for City of Fremont.
    
    Responsibilities and Duties:
    
    ACVCSD, USDA, Emeryville PWD or Fremont RD in accordance with jurisdictional responsibility, shall eradicate the bees if they are a non-structural colony, and will instruct the property owner to call a private pest control company, if structural.
    
    The Agriculture Department will place remnant traps to collect residual bees after AHB eradication.
    
    Police and Sheriffs shall respond as if an AHB medical emergency existed.
  2. Secondary Responders: Fire Department and EMS shall be dispatched if a medical emergency develops
3. AHB Non-Emergency:
  1. Primary Responders: ACVCSD, USDA, Agriculture Department, Recreation Department for City of Fremont and Public Works Department for City of Emeryville.
    
    Responsibilities and Duties:
    
    ACVCSD, USDA, Agriculture Department, Emeryville Public Works Department, or Fremont Recreation Department, according to jurisdictional responsibility investigates AHB reports and eradicates all non-structural swarms and colonies as described above. If a structural infestation is found, the property owner will be instructed to call, at their own expense, a private pest control company.
    
    The Agriculture Department will place remnant traps to collect residual bees after AHB eradication.
  2. Secondary responders: Police or Sheriff may respond if AHB colony is in a potentially hazardous area. If colony is structural, a private pest control company may be called. The Agriculture Department will assist in identification of AHB colonies.
4. Communications Protocol with flow-chart:
  1. An AHB Hot Line is available on an 800 line (1-800-233-6309) at the ACVCSD. Upon arrival of AHB in Alameda County, a response vehicle will be available with communications equipment aboard.
  2. Communications flow-chart (Appendix A) will be provided to all dispatch stations and all responder's locations. This chart will be regularly updated.
5. Training:
  
  Regularly scheduled training should be incorporated into response agency in-service training programs. This training should include the following elements:
The Alameda AHB Task Force has organized training seminars in the past and is available for assistance in arranging training.
1. Detection for AHB:
  
  Upon the AHB arrival in northern California, the ability to detect their presence in Alameda County will become of vital importance. The ACVCSD, USDA and/or Agriculture Department will collect samples from suspect colonies and submit them to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Laboratory for further analysis.
2. Public Information and Education
  1. Stage One-prior to AHB arrival in northern California
    1. Public inquiries are handled according to jurisdiction by either ACVCSD's AHB Hotline-- (800) 233-6309, the Agricultural Department (510) 670-5232, Emeryville Public Works Department (510) 596-4341, or Fremont Recreation Department (510) 791-4151 and U.C. Cooperative Extension (510) 567-6812.
    2. Target audiences are identified for general AHB resentations including neighborhood associations, schools, government agencies, businesses, and civic organizations.
    3. Audio-Visual materials such as videos, slides, interactive CD-ROMs, curricula, and informational brochures are prepared for target groups. Sources of materials include ACVCSD, U.C. Cooperative Extension, Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California, Roots Group, Sheriff Departments, and California State AHB Steering Committee.
    4. Agencies responsible for educational presentations include ACVCSD, U.C. Cooperative Extension, and the AHB Task Force.
      
      Examples of activities according to responsible agencies include:
      
      ACVCSD
      1. AHB presentations to Elementary School students
        
        Vector Control staff gives presentations
        Vector Control Education Coordinator may provide curriculum/audio-visual materials and train high school students to give presentations
        Provide curricula/audiovisual materials to teachers through the Office of Education
      2. Booth at Alameda County Fair and local health fairs
      3. Presentations to community organizations, and government agencies
      4. Distribution of AHB brochures to the public
      5. Media contacts
        
        The ACVCSD prepares general AHB information materials for release to TV, radio, and print media.
        ACVCSD will prepare Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for TV and radio for tracking the progress of the AHB until its arrival in Alameda County.
      U. C. Cooperative Extension
      U.C. Cooperative Extension will give presentations to elementary schools and 4H Clubs.
      
      AHB Task Force
      Recruit and train AHB speaker/volunteers ("Speakers Bureau") and schedule AHB presentations for community organizations.
  2. Stage Two - arrival of the AHB in Northern California
    1. ACVCSD/AHB Task Force will prepare press releases or PSAs for TV, radio and newspapers to inform the public of location of the AHB and to give information about precautionary measures that should be taken by the public.
    2. ACVCSD will update the AHB Hotline to provide information on AHB location and precautionary measures
  3. Stage Three - arrival of AHB in Alameda County and stinging incidents
    
    ACVCSD/AHB Task Force will distribute press release announcing arrival of AHB in Alameda County as well as organize and schedule a press conference.
  4. Stage Four - once established in Alameda County
    
    ACVCSD/AHB Task Force will evaluate future responses required from each agency.

Alameda County Africanized Honeybee (AHB) Task Force Response Plan

Alameda County Africanized Honeybee (AHB)
Task Force Response Plan