Category Archives: Safety

Email from Mike Sullivan today to a resident asking for spraying –

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I did speak at length Thursday night with John Smith, who is head of Norfolk
County Mosquito control. He advised me that Medfield is consider at low risk
for EEE or Nile virus, on the state Dept of Health web site map. I’ll forward the email I received from him so you can check it out. He also told me that although they could spray, It wouldn’t do any good this time of year as the nights are too cool, so the spraying wouldn’t be effective. The mosquito that tested positive in Sherborn was a type of mosquito that bites birds, but not humans. When Norfolk County does their weekly testing, they will sample for the type of mosquito that bites humans. So far, the nearest place where that type of mosquito has been infected is in Sharon. There have found a bird biting mosquito in Medway that was infected, but not a human biting mosquito They are closely monitoring the situation and will advise our Board of Health or any change in test results. In the meantime, Mr. Smith advises that the most effective protective measures to prevent infection this late in the season are to wear long sleeve shirts and pants, to put insecticides on exposed areas and to the extent possible to avoid going out in heavily wooded areas from dusk to dawn. Keep in mind that Medfield is still considered a low-risk area for infection. Also, Mr. Smith pointed out that the reason for the increase in the number of mosquitos recently is the increase in the water levels in the Charles River caused by the heavy rains from tropical storm Irene. The Charles River is slow to rise
and slow to fall, so the high water levels will continue for some time. Over the years the Norfolk County Mosquito Control has be very effective in monitoring mosquito populations and in preventing the spread of disease. I think the best course of action at this time is to follow their recommendations.  Mike Sullivan

Following comes from a state email to Mike Sullivan today –

“As per your conversation with John yesterday afternoon, he had asked that I forward this link http://westnile.ashtonweb.com/index.asp

The link to the DPH shows you the map and outlines what each risk level means…and the appropriate response…let me know if you need any additional information…this map combines the risk levels of both WNv and EEE…

Elizabeth Donnell

Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project

61 Endicott Street, Bldg #34

Norwood, MA 02062

781-762-3681

I was informed yesterday by Mike Sullivan that a bird biting mosquito trapped in Sherborn tested positive for EEE two or three days ago.  An employee working in the state’s mosquito control area told Mike Sullivan yesterday that Medfield’s risk is still “low to remote” with respect to EEE.  The risk was low enough that Mike and the Chief, in consultation with the Board of Health chair, chose not to send out a reverse 911 call, given the potential for a reverse 911 call to  scare people more than they needed to be.

When I Googled the issue, I also saw reports of EEE mosquitoes  having been found in Medway.

I now know way more about EEE than 24 hours ago.  Apparently certain mosquitoes bite only birds and other mosquitoes  bite only mammals.  We are at “low to remote” risk because the EEE that was found was just in bird biting mosquitos at this time, and also where the Medfield mosquitos have not tested positive.  I am told that the state tests the Medfield mosquitos which it traps weekly at our transfer station.

While the risk is low, the injury from EEE is high.  The Wikipedia site says 30-35% of those infected die and survivors often have neurological damages.  The Massachusetts DPH materials say half of those infected in Massachusetts have died and “few people recover completely.”

Massachusetts DPH materials on mosquito repellents are at https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/mosquito_repellents-massachusetts-dph.pdf

Massachusetts DPH materials on EEE are at https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/eee-massachusetts-dph.pdf

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EEE RISK RESPONSE MAP – from state email to Mike Sullivan today

“As per your conversation with John yesterday afternoon, he had asked that I forward this link http://westnile.ashtonweb.com/index.asp

The link to the DPH shows you the map and outlines what each risk level means…and the appropriate response…let me know if you need any additional information…this map combines the risk levels of both WNv and EEE…

Elizabeth Donnell

Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project

61 Endicott Street, Bldg #34

Norwood, MA 02062

781-762-3681″

I discussed the possibility of upgrading the town’s EMT services to a paramedic service with my colleagues last night, and neither Ann, Mark, nor Mike had any interest in looking at doing so.  Paramedics have the additional ability to administer medications and to stabilize a patient before transport in the ambulance.  Currently, if paramedics services are needed, a call goes out to paramedics who then intercept the Medfield ambulance, and the patient is transferred to the paramedics’ ambulance.

Having a paramedic service would cost the town more money, and if the proposal were to have been investigated it would ultimately have been up to residents at the Annual Town Meeting to decide whether they wanted to spend those extra monies for the higher level of ambulance services.

Chatted with Charlie Morreale who was working a detail at the curve on West Street yesterday morning, and he shared with me that only about one out of every twenty cars he saw going by had Medfield Transfer Station stickers – as he said, it is all out of towners, cutting through Medfield.