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MEMBERSHIP CONTEST

Tamara Tibbett-Arendt of American Pest Control Company is in the lead with four new members. The contest runs until May 31, 2011. $1,000.00 will be awarded to the person who brings in the most new members and there will be an additional drawing for another $1,000.00 Yay Tamara! Keep up the good work. Click here for contest rules.

RECRUIT RECRUIT RECRUIT

2011 PCOC FUMIGATION BANNER BONANZA CONTEST

Dow AgroSciences is again sponsoring the 2011 Fumigation Banner Contest. The rules are the same as last year and we have provided a link here to view them. The contest will run from March 1, 2011 thru May 31, 2011. There will be four winners again this year. Please mail all submissions to:

Electronic submissions may be made at: billgaither@pcoc.org

The entries are already coming in; don't forget to send yours!

NPMA/PCOC BED BUG SYMPOSIUMS

The resurgence of bed bugs has created significant concern among anyone responsible for providing housing to the general public. In response, NPMA has partnered with PCOC, the National Apartment Association, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association to deliver a workshop series designed to educate these audiences in effectively responding to the threat of bed bugs. This is a not-to-miss opportunity to interact with potential customers from the hotel and lodging, apartment, property management, and university housing markets.

On May 2, 2011 in San Francisco, May 4 in Orange County and on May 5 in San Diego PCOC and NPMA will be hosting all-day seminars on bed bugs. Our target audience will be the hotel industry, apartment managers association and property managers and other related associations. These seminars will include presentations on bed bug facts and will include a panel of PCOs to answer questions. At each location will be an exhibit hall where PCOC member companies will be able to sponsor a booth and be available to interact with the seminar participants. More information and registration will be made available in the near future.

DISTRICT ELECTIONS

Now is the time to start consideration for the election of new district officers and directors. Districts need to complete their elections no later than April 30, 2011 and submit the results to the PCOC office no later than later than May 1, 2011. By following this timeline it allows PCOC staff the necessary time to prepare for the annual Leadership Academy.

REGISTERED PEST CONTROL DEVICES TO CONTROL WOOD-DESTROYING PESTS

The Structural Pest Control Device Program, which began in 1998, mandates the registration of all devices intended to control termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and other wood-destroying pests. These devices typically utilize heat, microwave or electrical treatments. As part of the registration process, registrants must provide the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) with data insuring the safety and efficacy of their devices. It is unlawful to use these devices unless they are registered.

Though in the past DPR provided a list of registered devices, they are now found on the DPR website by conducting a Registration Branch database inquiry. The number and types of devices will fluctuate over time.

The database is located on the DPR website at: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/label/chemcode.htm  

To locate registered devices in the Registration Branch database, begin by entering the word "device" in the "chemical-code" search box, on the page linked above. A list of devices will appear with blue chemical code numbers to their left. Click on the appropriate code and you will then be able to select from "all" products, or just "active" products.

If you need further help or clarification, please contact the Enforcement Branch Chief, Nan Gorder at: (916) 324-4100 or ngorder@cdpr.ca.gov

Africanized Honeybee Certification Renewal

Attention: All PCOs Certified To Control Africanized Honeybees

The Board of Directors of the Pest Control Operators of California has approved a program for the renewal of the Africanized Honeybee Certification program/course.

Effective immediately all persons who have previously completed the AHB course must comply with the following conditions:

(1) All certified licensees must perform a check in with PCOC to update their status (i.e., employer, mailing address and license status) with either or both the SPCB and DPR. This check in process will be done through the PCOC website online and will begin May 1, 2010 and must be completed by June 30, 2011. Anyone who does not complete the check in process will be dropped from the AHB database maintained by PCOC. Staff will have the flexibility to accommodate licensees who fail to check in during this time period because of extenuating circumstances such as active duty overseas or other similar situations.

(2) After the initial check in, certified licensees will be sent an email annually to the email address they have established in the system (the licensee will be able to go online at any time and update their profile and contact information, including their email address) reminding them to check in to confirm their contact information and status as an active (or inactive) certified licensee.

(3) Thereafter every six years certified licensees would be required to retake the full certification course.

(4) Thereafter every three years (in between the six-year renewal) every certified licensee will be required to take a one-hour online class on the PCOC website. The AHB Subcommittee will create and post a one-hour class annually, which will be available to all AHB certified licensees to take each year. Some classes will focus on updates on a particular nuance of AHB management; other classes may focus on updates on the AHB movement, stinging incidents, new technologies and other timely issues.

(5) AHB licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course prior to 2009 will have to take the full AHB Certification class by the end of 2014. This allows a full four years to accommodate these licensees to get into the system of retaking the full AHB Certification course every six years.

(6) AHB certified licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course in 2009 or later will have to take the full AHB Certification class within six years of when they last completed the class.

CURRENT CHALLENGES WHICH NECESSITATE THE NEED FOR RENEWALS

• Lack of compliance with standards. Hopefully this is due to length of time since some have taken the course rather than a desire to purposefully violate the standards.
• Desire to maintain highest levels of integrity and professionalism within this industry/statutory certification.
• No system by which to maintain an up-to-date database of certified licensees. Counties, state agencies and the public have all complained that our database is all but useless because it contains licensees who are no longer in the industry, or who are certified, but longer desire to control honeybees.

CHECK IN PROCEDURE

All AHB licensees (PCOC members and all non-members) must contact PCOC staff for login and password information. The AHB licensee then must go to the PCOC website; http://www.pcoc.org/. Click on the Find/Hire a Pest Control Company button, then click on the add/update your listing line. Click on the update your listing box.

ALL AHB LICENSEES MUST UPDATE THEIR LISTING TO INCLUDE CURRENT EMPLOYER, ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION.

The update will be automatically forwarded to the PCOC staff.

It is the responsibility of the AHB licensee to complete the update before June 30, 2011 or you will be dropped from the AHB database.

Pest Control Operators of California
www.pcoc.org

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