There is a Bed Bug crisis spreading through the hotel industry. Despite the fact that sanitation has little or nothing to do with Bed Bugs, lawsuits are being filed and reputations are being tarnished in the media and on popular websites. It isn't fair. But there are simplsteps a facility can take to protect their guests, their liability, and their reputations.
According to an attorney, who has defended several national hotel chains in Bed Bug lawsuits, he makes the following recommendations to hotel owners and managers to pro-actively prepare a defense against potential litigation:
Get a pest management professional to train your housekeepers to recognize early Bed Bug signs as they do their daily cleaning.
Have a written plan in effect to expeditiously deal with a suspected Bed Bug event.
Immediately isolate a room suspected of infestation.
Do not move affected guests to an adjoining room. Bed Bugs may travel up to 100 feet to find a meal.
Do not vacuum or remove anything from the room.
Do not lower the thermostat, as this may cause them to migrate to a warmer room.
Have a pest management firm in place.
Equip each room with a metal luggage rack, as Bed Bugs have a natural aversion to metal.
Equip each housekeeping cart with a checklist for inspecting beds for Bed Bug evidence in daily cleaning.
Because Bed Bugs suck the blood of their hosts while they're sleeping, there is a stigma in the minds of the general public that exceeds that of cockroaches, mice, and even rats. Attracted by the warmth of a sleeping person and the carbon dioxide they exhale, Bed Bugs may take 3 to 15 minutes to gorge themselves on a blood meal, swelling to up to 6 times their body weight. The host is not awakened by the bite because the parasite's saliva is equipped with a topical anesthetic. Therefore, people may experience scores of bites in the course of one night's sleep.
Bed Bugs usually hitchhike in luggage and not on people, so having a metal luggage rack open in a room may keep them from leaving the suitcase at all. Anything to keep guests from placing their luggage on the bed! Because of their aversion to metal, using metal bed frames and headboards is also recommended. A female, once impregnated by a male is pregnant for life and lays 2 or 3 eggs per day. So one pregnant female leaving a suitcase and making her home in a bed is just the beginning. Hatchlings in the first of five instars to adulthood are roughly the size of a spec of dust and will leave a bite like an adult. Mature Bed Bugs will usually feed every 2 weeks, but have been known to live over a year without another blood meal.
Because of the stigma and the sensationalism accompanying Bed Bug stories, the local media tend to jump on any reported encounter in a hotel, and play it up to their audience. Just one reported Bed Bug encounter in any of the popular on-line hotel review websites could mean the loss of hundreds of potential guests in a season, and could plague one's reputation for years. So the risk is great.
A facility is at even higher risk for Bed Bugs if they frequently entertain guests from outside the U.S.,especially those from Eastern Europe or Canada.
Modern Pest Services is a 3rd generation family owned and operated pest control company.We at Modern are dedicated to protecting the health, property and environment of our clients. We pledge to ensure ethical business standards and to assert the highest standards of quality in the pest management industry. We pledge to anticipate and respond to the present and future needs of our clients, our team members, our vendors, and the general public.
- Tips And Tricks On How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs And Pests - May 9th, 2010 [May 9th, 2010]
- Best and cheap hotel/motel without bed bugs to stay in Niagara ... - May 12th, 2010 [May 12th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs Symptoms And Infestations Treatment - May 18th, 2010 [May 18th, 2010]
- A Rainbow Shot Against Bed Bugs - May 31st, 2010 [May 31st, 2010]
- DIY pesticide treatment for bed bugs leads to death — Got bed bugs ... - May 31st, 2010 [May 31st, 2010]
- Bed Bugs More Common - June 2nd, 2010 [June 2nd, 2010]
- Growth Rate of Bed Bugs is Bad News - June 7th, 2010 [June 7th, 2010]
- 2 Va. Beach hotels make dirtiest list – WTOP - June 7th, 2010 [June 7th, 2010]
- Diseases Infection Symptoms & Causes: Parasites, Candida Fungus … - June 7th, 2010 [June 7th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Invasion – Fact or Media Frenzy? - June 8th, 2010 [June 8th, 2010]
- Bed bugs cheer: Ohio's propoxur exemption request denied — Got bed ... - June 11th, 2010 [June 11th, 2010]
- Bedbug infestation found at Toronto hospital – Globe and Mail - June 15th, 2010 [June 15th, 2010]
- Bedbugs Travel on Luggage | Canada Bedbugs - June 17th, 2010 [June 17th, 2010]
- Treating Bedbugs In Dorms | Canada Bedbugs - June 19th, 2010 [June 19th, 2010]
- Cats Dogs | An Unwelcome Summer Vacation Souvenier - June 21st, 2010 [June 21st, 2010]
- HOW TO STOP BEDBUGS CLIMBING INTO YOUR BED - June 21st, 2010 [June 21st, 2010]
- Bed Bug Invasion: Fact or Media Frenzy? - June 21st, 2010 [June 21st, 2010]
- ThermaPureHeat to be Featured Thursday (4/29) on ABC Nightline Segment on Bed Bug Epidemic - June 21st, 2010 [June 21st, 2010]
- Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner - The Perfect Solution To Brush Them Away? - June 21st, 2010 [June 21st, 2010]
- Lilith News: Pesticides Vs Bed Bugs - August 8th, 2010 [August 8th, 2010]
- America Goes Buggy Over Bed Bugs - Canada Free Press - September 2nd, 2010 [September 2nd, 2010]
- How often do they bite? - Bed Bugs Extermination Canada - September 10th, 2010 [September 10th, 2010]
- History of Bed Bugs - Bed Bugs Extermination Canada - September 10th, 2010 [September 10th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs Canada: Bed bugs 101 - September 14th, 2010 [September 14th, 2010]
- Bed bugs on the bus in Canada? | TheBedBugsBite.com - September 20th, 2010 [September 20th, 2010]
- Bed bugs a big business? | Canada | News | Winnipeg Sun - September 21st, 2010 [September 21st, 2010]
- How to Avoid Bed Bugs - Walletpop Canada - September 22nd, 2010 [September 22nd, 2010]
- The Truth About Pesticides - Bed Bugs Bite Canada - September 28th, 2010 [September 28th, 2010]
- The Fight Against Bed Bugs in Florida, United States and Canada Is ... - September 28th, 2010 [September 28th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs Canada: Chicago Bed Bug Summit - October 1st, 2010 [October 1st, 2010]
- New York And Its Bed Bug Problem | Best Health | Fitness - October 7th, 2010 [October 7th, 2010]
- An email: A Quick Suggestion for a Growing Problem – Bed Bugs ... - October 8th, 2010 [October 8th, 2010]
- Tips on fighting bed bugs - Canada.com - October 8th, 2010 [October 8th, 2010]
- I just recently realized that I have bed bugs – How do I dispose ... - October 9th, 2010 [October 9th, 2010]
- Sucking guests' blood, the hotel vampire, bed bugs, are on the loose - October 11th, 2010 [October 11th, 2010]
- Blog Archive Smitherman vows to eradicate bedbugs – Toronto Sun ... - October 11th, 2010 [October 11th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs! How To Tackle Them? | 2Articles.com - October 12th, 2010 [October 12th, 2010]
- Articlebubble.com » Government Mandates for Action on Climate Change - October 12th, 2010 [October 12th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Infestation in Canada: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs - October 12th, 2010 [October 12th, 2010]
- Catalyst Notebook :: In the News: Harlem Children's Zone struggles ... - October 13th, 2010 [October 13th, 2010]
- Blog Archive Westin and Sheraton guestrooms to get new designs ... - October 13th, 2010 [October 13th, 2010]
- Bedbug Infestation at Simon Fraser University | Canada Bedbugs - October 14th, 2010 [October 14th, 2010]
- How to Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling « Irv's Luggage Travel Blog - October 14th, 2010 [October 14th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs - October 15th, 2010 [October 15th, 2010]
- Top 5 Travel Accessories to avoid insect bites and Bedbugs ... - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- New York Bed Bugs Catch Plane to London - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- » Bed Bugs San Diego – Read This Before You Decide To Exterminate ... - October 18th, 2010 [October 18th, 2010]
- PANDEMIC: Bed-Bugs Keep Exterminators In Canada Busy - October 18th, 2010 [October 18th, 2010]
- Are Bed Bugs Hitching a Ride in Your Luggage? - October 18th, 2010 [October 18th, 2010]
- Ridiculous "What is worse.." type story on bed bugs ... - October 22nd, 2010 [October 22nd, 2010]
- Bed Bugs Terrorizing New York City, Scaring Away Tourists! | Star Talk - October 26th, 2010 [October 26th, 2010]
- Halloween bed bugs | TheBedBugsBite.com - October 27th, 2010 [October 27th, 2010]
- Corporate concerns over bed bugs and meetings | TheBedBugsBite.com - October 27th, 2010 [October 27th, 2010]
- New York bed bugs invade UN building - October 27th, 2010 [October 27th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs found at or near UN offices for the second time ... - October 27th, 2010 [October 27th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Horror movie in the works? | TheBedBugsBite.com - October 28th, 2010 [October 28th, 2010]
- Bed Bugs at Yosemite | TheBedBugsBite.com - October 28th, 2010 [October 28th, 2010]
- The Tonight Show Leno Bed Bug story | TheBedBugsBite.com - October 29th, 2010 [October 29th, 2010]
- Innovative Products To Help New York Residents With Bed Bug ... - October 29th, 2010 [October 29th, 2010]
- Bloomington Indiana University Library and bed bugs ... - October 30th, 2010 [October 30th, 2010]
- Mayor Bloomberg finally realizes bed bugs are bad for New York ... - November 1st, 2010 [November 1st, 2010]
- The Re-emergence Of Bed Bugs In The United States - November 1st, 2010 [November 1st, 2010]
- The Re-emergence Of Bed Bugs In The United States - Weather ... - November 1st, 2010 [November 1st, 2010]
- Bed Bugs – What Are They? « Are Bed Bugs a Problem? - November 1st, 2010 [November 1st, 2010]
- Bed Bugs Toronto - Bed bug help for those living in Toronto - Bed ... - November 1st, 2010 [November 1st, 2010]
- 12160 Community | Blog | The Most Annoying Bed Bugs Causes ... - November 4th, 2010 [November 4th, 2010]
- The Re-emergence Of Bed Bugs In The United States | Make Me Happy - November 6th, 2010 [November 6th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Registry | News - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- bed bug registry check bed bugs in New York or anywhere in USA and ... - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Registry A Site to See if Your Hotel has Bed Bugs! - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- Travelers flood bed bug registry website » Health Jackal - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Registry Does Not Check Reports For Accuracy » Gossip Jackal - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Registry Does Not Check Reports For Accuracy ... - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- The Re-emergence Of Bed Bugs In The United States | Modern Home ... - November 10th, 2010 [November 10th, 2010]
- Bed Bug Registry Helps Protect Your Family's Holiday Health ... - November 11th, 2010 [November 11th, 2010]
- Sask. on cusp on massive bed bug infestation: studies | Canada ... - November 13th, 2010 [November 13th, 2010]
- Plentiful Bed Bugs In Iowa Avoidable | Visit Bulgaria - November 14th, 2010 [November 14th, 2010]
- Calls To Fumigators 4 Bed Bugs UP 400-500% This Year! Now In Idaho ... - November 16th, 2010 [November 16th, 2010]
- Health officials ask for provincial funding to eradicate bed bugs - November 17th, 2010 [November 17th, 2010]
- Things You Need To Do If You Suspect You Have Bed Bugs ... - November 18th, 2010 [November 18th, 2010]