California chose to create an independent commission to redraw district lines ... taking it away from those same elected officials who benefit from redistricting. The old way was like the fox guarding the hen house! Voters were told that it would end the self-serving gerrymandering: secret plans hatched in the back rooms of the Capitol.

The hopeful result of this change will be that elections will be less predictable and more meaningful. The 140-member commission produced a report that would change the boundaries of the 153 congressional and legislative districts in California.

The new maps will create more ‘swing' districts – those districts which are winnable by either party. Geographically, the new maps shift the districts toward the fastest-growing interior regions of the state, as the census data predicted. They will result in more Latino and Asian-American office holders. Democrats would remain in control of both Houses in the Legislature but would not get a two-thirds majority.

An increase in ‘swing' districts would mean that right-wing Republicans and left-wing Democrats would no longer be assured of winning seats. Ideological rigidity will be a thing of the past. There will be, hopefully, a new block of moderates from both parties.

The impact is greatest on the state's 53 congressional districts because they were the ones who most benefited by the 2001 gerrymandering! With so many incumbents, 60-plus years old, the new maps will probably generate a large number of retirements. Guess who their replacements will be? Yes, state legislators. The domino effect of politics.

IN MEMORIAM

NEW PCOC WEBSITE PASSWORD: "npma"

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011

WHAT HAS PCOC DONE FOR ME LATELY?

How is PCOC making your life better? Here are a dozen ways.

• Join PCOC, and you're automatically a member of the National Pest Management Association, with all the benefits and resources of a nationwide trade group.
• PCOC worked hard with the EPA to make sure the Stipulated Injunction of May 2010, which affected eight Bay Area counties, made good sense for consumers and for pest management professionals.
• PCOC went to bat to make sure that new respirator regulations didn't require expensive equipment that put smaller operators at a disadvantage.
• PCOC helped develop the California Aeration Plan (CAP), a superior method of clearing fumigated structures, which superseded the Tarpaulin Removal Plan of 1990 – also developed with PCOC's help.
• PCOC is actively participating in California DPR's re-evaluation of pyrethroids, and how these materials impact water quality.
• PCOC developed a comprehensive Best Management Practices policy for PMPs to help protect the quality of California's waterways.
• PCOC teamed with the NPMA to produce bed bug conferences around the state – the latest example of its mission to provide research and information on the latest pest threats.
• PCOC provides a "Find & Hire a Pest Control Company" service for the public at its website, pcoc.org, an excellent way to direct customers to your business – if you're a PCOC member.
• PCOC offers certification for Green Pro, the gold standard for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.
• PCOC membership offers many benefit options – insurance, discount on pharmacy, dental and eye care, and much more.
• PCOC defended the Healthy Schools Act of 2000 from restrictive new modifications proposed by anti-pest control activists.
• PCOC now has 12 hours of free continuing education classes on its website for all members and their employees.

It's your PCOC. Join or renew today!

DO NOT GIVE PESTICIDES TO CUSTOMERS!

"Just a little extra for emergencies, come on," says your residential customer. "Leave me one of those tubes of ant bait, just in case." Or the apartment property's manager insists that you leave rodent bait with her maintenance staff. A word to the wise: DON'T DO IT!!!

Maybe you think that ant baits or rodenticide place packs are pretty safe. But when you give pesticides to a customer or a friend, you give up control over what happens to it next.

TROUBLE DOWN THE ROAD.............. Say you gave your customer some of your pesticide for them to use when you're not there. What could happen? After all, the products you use are pretty safe, right?

• Will the apartment staff simply hand over the rodent to the tenant? What if she leaves the packs on her kitchen table and her two-year old gets them? Who will the state regulators and courts blame? Not the apartment staff. YOU!!
• What if you've got a little spray mix left over at the end of the day and your last residential customer asks if you can pour it into his sprayer? What if he sprays the residual you are using to control ants on his tomatoes and someone becomes ill?

It's illegal to give away (or sell) any pesticide without a dealer's license. Besides the safety factor, there's the professional factor. Do you think the apartment's maintenance staff knows the best places to apply rodent bait? If their baiting doesn't work, you can bet you'll be called to fix the problem. Your reputation and your company's reputation suffer.

When your customer asks you for pesticides, keep control. Just say "NO!"

California now has the country's strictest rules on preventing work-related heat illness. Here's how to recognize and treat heat-related illnesses.

· Heat rash, the most common heat-related illness, develops when skin is persistently wet with unevaporated sweat. Most heat rashes disappear upon return to a cool environment.

· Heat cramps can occur when performing hard physical labor in the heat, when salt builds up in the body. To replace water lost from sweating, workers in hot or humid conditions should take water every 15 to 20 minutes, regardless of thirst. Carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement drinks can minimize physiological symptoms during recovery.

· Heat stress occurs due to overheating. Blood goes to the surface to cool the body, leaving less blood going to active muscles, brain and internal organs. Workers get weaker, fatigued and may be less alert. Remove the affected worker from the hot environment and give fluid replacement, rest and, when possible, ice packs.

· Heat exhaustion results from exposure to more heat than the body can handle. Body temperature and heart rate rise rapidly. An increase in body temperature of 2°F above normal can affect mental performance; an increase of 5°F can cause serious illness or death. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vertigo, weakness, thirst and giddiness. Fortunately, this condition responds readily to prompt treatment. Treat the same as for heat stress.

· Heat collapse occurs when an individual suffering from heat exhaustion faints when blood pools in extremities and not enough reaches the brain. It occurs suddenly and can lead to injury if the victim falls or is operating machinery. Treat the same as for heat stress.

· Heat stroke, the most serious heat-related illness, occurs when temperature regulation fails and body temperature rises to critical levels. Heat stroke's symptoms include confusion; irrational behavior; a lack of sweating (usually); hot, dry skin; and an abnormally high body temperature, such as 105.8°F (41°C). These can result in convulsions, coma and even death.

More than 20 percent of people afflicted by heat stroke die, even young and healthy adults. Those who survive can become very sensitive to heat for months and experience varying degrees of brain and kidney damage. If a worker shows signs of heat stroke, obtain professional medical treatment immediately. Until help comes, place the worker in a shady, cool area and remove outer clothing. Wet the worker's skin and move the air around with a fan or other means to improve evaporative cooling. Replace fluids as soon as possible.

Not Just a Health Problem

In addition to creating serious health problems, heat can also affect safety. Accidents occur more frequently in hot conditions, due to impaired physical performance and lower alertness. Physical discomfort can also cause workers to become irritable or angry, which can cloud judgment. Heat can also promote accidents by causing palms to become sweaty and slippery, by causing dizziness or causing safety glasses to fog.

You can avoid many heat-related conditions by improving ventilation, installing/upgrading air conditioning, insulating heat sources and increasing movement of air through fans or "swamp coolers." Rescheduling outdoor work for cooler times of the day, or spreading heavy physical work over more workers than you would ordinarily use, can minimize risk. When you cannot avoid high-heat conditions, schedule frequent rest and water breaks in a cool area.

For more suggestions on avoiding heat-related illnesses and other safety problems, please call the PCOC Insurance Program department at Jenkins Insurance Services at (800) 234-6363

TEMPORARY NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP

LOGIN: 313501

PASSWORD: PCOC

PCOC website password for 2011-2012 effective July 1, 2011: "npma"

Department of Fish & Game
www.dfg.ca.gov

Department of Food & Agriculture
www.cdfa.ca.gov

Department of Pesticide Regulation
www.cdpr.ca.gov

Find Your Legislator
www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Healthy Schools Act
www.schoolipm.info

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

For an additional charge, you may access a 24-hour hotline providing consultation by qualified medical doctors on pesticide-related medical emergencies. This service is provided free of charge to Peacock Group insureds.