City unprepared for bed bug invasion

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - One Fort Wayne official says the City was "caught off-guard" by recent complaints of bed bug infestations throughout the area.

Last week, NewsChannel 15 uncovered an infestation in Fort Wayne's East Central Towers apartment complex on E. Washington. Since the report aired, viewers have come forward claiming the problem is more widespread.

"They're obviously there. It's just now, how do we take care of it?" wonders Fort Wayne's neighborhood code enforcement director Cindy Joyner.  "This is pretty new to us. Uh, frankly we don't have a lot of experience with bed bugs."

The department doesn't have much experience, because bed bugs haven't been a major problem since the 1950's. Also, up until last year, Vector Control & Environmental Services or VCES responded to all of the City's pest complaints. The switch happened when VCES began focusing on preventing a H1N1 outbreak.

"Through the years, bed bugs have started to re-emerge," says VCES director Dave Fiess. He adds, people can protect themselves from an infestation by getting educating themselves.

According to Fiess, the six-legged insects like to hide in the cracks and crevices of furniture and people often pick them up from hotels or motels. They feed on blood, but can live up to a year without it. Adult bed bugs grow to about the size of a pencil eraser. The eggs can only be detected by a microscope. Fortunately, bed bugs don't carry any diseases.

Those who are already infested should call an exterminator, but the cleaning process can cost a lot of time and money.

"To control bed bugs is a lot different than controlling cockroaches," said Fiess. "It's not just a one treatment deal. It's gonna be several visits to control them."

In the meantime, Joyner is doing her homework, talking with other communities, and trying to come up with a new bed bug policy.

"At the end of the day, what we want is our citizens to be safe, healthy, and living in a healthy and safe environment," said Joyner. She plans to meet with the city attorney on Wednesday to begin work on a plan of action.

For more information about bed bugs, visit the Fort Wayne Allen County Department of Health's website .