East Vandergrift making headway on rat problem
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East Vandergrift officials appear to be making progress in the ongoing war against a rat infestation in the borough.
Council voted last June to hire a commercial division of Terminix in Bridgeville for 10 weeks at a cost of $1,525 after fielding numerous complaints from residents about rats.
The Terminix contract is set to expire at the end of the month.
It was the first time East Vandergrift had to hire a professional business for rat control.
Borough Secretary Kristen Sarno said she fielded several calls weekly concerning rats from residents before bringing in professional exterminators.
“I haven’t had any complaints for three weeks, ” Sarno said. “The exterminator reported he’s not finding any live ones (rats) and, last I heard, he was finding dead ones.”
Terminix maintains the 45 bait boxes placed in yards and alleyways throughout the borough.
Each black box contains an edible fatal rat poison.
Terminix crews visit the borough weekly to inspect, clean and refill the portable poison stations.
Borough resident Susanne DeFalco, 76, said she’s seeing fewer rats since Terminix began their program.
I haven’t seen any rats for about six weeks or more,” said DeFalco, one of five residents who voiced their concerns to council in June.
DeFalco said she witnessed rats going up and down steps outside her home during daylight at a family Memorial Day cookout.
“There’s a big improvement for sure. My neighbors are reporting they’re not seeing rats. The garage where I used to see rats daily, I haven’t seen them.”
But DeFalco said she spoke with several of her neighbors that still are seeing rats.
“I’m glad council did what they did, but I don’t think it’s time to quit,” DeFalco said.
Judie Keenan, 75, lives on McKinley Avenue next to the post office and said she averages one rat per day in a trap set up on her property.
Using peanut butter as bait, Keenan said, prior to exterminators, she witnessed rats scurrying about daily in her yard during broad daylight.
Keenan posts her rat tales to her Facebook social media account.
“Still dealing with East Vandergrift rat problem,” Keenan headlined her post on Sunday, with an accompanying photo of a dead rat next to a jar of peanut butter on her porch.
In the same post, Keenan commented she was seeing rats daily and picks up poisoned rats almost every day.
She said she’s grateful the borough hired professionals to assist her amateur rat catching efforts.
“The poison is killing them,” Keenan said. “It’s getting better because I no longer see them alive and running around during daylight hours. They’re not getting in my house, thank goodness.”
Sue Harwick was the first resident to approach council about the surge in rats and she returned to the council meeting on Aug. 2 because she wanted to thank them for being proactive and listening to resident’s complaints about the rodents.
“I felt I needed to thank council for acting upon getting an exterminator here,” said Harwick, who resides on Kennedy Avenue.
Harwick said she no longer sees rats running between her neighbor’s yard and in her own front yard.
“I haven’t seen a rat since about six weeks ago,” Harwick said. “It’s successful for the moment but you never know when they may come back again,”
Borough officials are asking residents to make sure all trash is in closed containers and not simply bagged and keeping their lawns trimmed and well-maintained.
Harwick said she’s worried additional exterminating measures are necessary to rid the borough of rats.
“If we see them again, we can complain to council and hope they can come up with the money again,” Harwick.
Sarno said council will discuss whether to extend the termination contract at the next meeting in September.
“It’s been productive,” “Obviously, there’s always going to be wildlife, including rats, but I’m not seeing the problem that we did have,” Sarno said.
To report nuisance or repeated rat sightings in the borough, call 724-567-7213.