Africanized Honey Bee Emergency Response

1. Africanized Honey Bee Emergency Response

3. Yellow Jacket ,Wasp vs Bee • Yellow Jackets, Wasps can sting multiple times. • Honey bees can sting animals but human sting traps the stinger which results in the death of the bee.

4. 1957

5. History • Africanized Bees enter Florida. • AHB entered State at Ports of Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami. • Container ships most likely carriers.

6. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 5 May 2005 LaBelle, Hendry – Horse stung to death. • 10 June 2005 – Tampa, Hillsborough – Homeowner stung. • 13 June 2005 – Stuart, Martin – AHB entered beekeeping equipment and became defensive. • 29 June 2005 – Bokeela, Lee – Homeowner stung.

7. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 19 July 2005 – Naples, Collier – Homeowner stung. • 19 July 2005 – Boca Raton, Palm Beach – Bulldozer operator attacked. • 26 Sept. 2005 – Sarasota, Sarasota – Homeowner stung. • 10 Oct. 2005 – Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie – City worker stung while reading water meter.

8. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 13 Oct. 2005 – Moore Haven, Glades – Man and women mowing grass were stung. City workers stung. • 18 Oct. 2005 – Englewood, Sarasota – Dog stung to death. • 27 Oct. 2005 – Ft. Myers, Lee – People stung at RV park, one hospitalized. • Nov. 2005 – Miami Gardens, Dade – Two dogs killed, owner sent to hospital, First responders and media stung.

9. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 1 Dec. 2005 – Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie – City worker stung while reading water meter. • 14 April 2006 – Boca Raton, Palm Beach – Goats and sheep killed, owners hospitalized. • 5 May 2006 – LaBelle, Hendry – Swarm in a tree stung a child.

10. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 10 July 2006 – West Palm Beach, Palm Beach – Homeowner stung 20 times, 4 dogs killed (2 adults, 2 puppies), 2 puppies injured.

11. Recorded Stinging Incidences • 19 July 2006, Zellwood, Orange – • Children stung by colony under base of tree 21 July 2006, Ft. Meyers, Lee. Man stung and hospitalized

12. Recorded Stinging Incidences • December 2006, Ft. Lauderdale • 3 people stung. January 2007, Miami. Family of five stung

13. Recorded Stinging Incidences • Feb 22 2007, Ft. Pierce • Bulldozer operator 20 stings. • Nearby school locked down for 4 hours. April 29 2007,Ft Lauderdale. Construction Site 30 Stings.

14. AHB in Osceola County • First Osceola Hive Located March 2007. • Not a Stinging Incident. • July 2007 large Hive discovered in Poinciana. • Several Hives have appeared in both Kissimmee and St Cloud. • January 08 Bees swarmed Helicopter at Kissimmee Airport.

15. Africanized Honey Bees

16. Africanized Honey Bees • Same species as the European honey bee. • The sting has the sametoxicity as the European honey bee. • AHB and EHB can not be told apart by looking at them.

17. Life Cycle of AHB • Drone will live approximately 1-3 months. • Worker (female) 2-6 weeks in the summer,4-7 months in winter. • QUEEN 3-4 years.

18. 10 Times As Far and 10 Times As Many EHB 30 yards. (m) AHB 300 yards. 100 (m)

19. Swarms • Are a way for colonies to divide when they get too large for the hive location. • The old queen and some of the workers leave the old colony to found a new colony at a new location. • These bees are not defensive because they do not have resources (honey and babies) to defend. • Even Africanized bees are not very defensive at this stage.

20. Swarms Are Not Aggressive

21. Swarm

22. Swarm

23. European Swarm

24. Swarm on House

25. Homeowner attempt to Kill Bees

26. Water meter

27. Hive

28. Aerial Nest Bad Day in the Woods New Port Richey, FL

29. Hive

30. SUB FLOOR

31. ATTIC

33. Bees will hive anywhere

34. PPE

35. PPE • Bee suit with zippered veil and bee gloves. • Bunker gear with bee veil taped around edge of veil with fire fighters gloves. • Chemical spill Tyvek suit with bee veil and double layers of latex gloves. • Brush land suit, veil and gloves. • Always –eye protection glasses, goggles, or face shield under veil so bees can’t spray venom through veil into your eyes.

36. Bee suits with zippered veil and bee gloves are the best protection.

37. Chemical spill suit with bee veil and taped cuffs over gloves

38. Sting Shield and Bill Cap With Bunker /Turnout Gear

39. Secure the Bottom Edge of Jacket With a Belt or Duct Tape Kept Bees From Climbing up Under the Jacket. Sleeve Cuffs Are Usually Effective at Keeping Bees Out.

40. This Configuration Provided Adequate Protection, but Limits Vision and Was Hot and Cumbersome. Have Absolutely No Skin Exposed. Do not wear a helmet if it is safe to do so, because bees will get under helmet and be carried to the engine or ambulance .

41. Approach Actions

42. 911- “Bee Sting” Situation Evaluation • Is someone being stung now? • How many victims? • Location of Victim and the Bee Colony • Call back number • Are there any schools, day care centers, nursing homes, or businesses within 300 yards?

43. On Site Situation Evaluation • Turn off lights and siren prior to approaching the victims location. • From inside closed recon vehicle. • Identify location of all victims. • Is this a swarm or a colony with comb? • Try to identify the location of the bee colony. • Stage engine about 150 ft. From the victim and bee colony. • Stage ambulance at least 300 yards away from situation.

44. Warn Bystanders • Advise the people in homes and businesses neighboring the incident, to remain indoors and bring in pets until the incident is concluded and the colony is eliminated. • Swarms will rarely become defensive, but an agitated colony may attack anyone within 150 ft or more. • Advise schools, day care centers, nursing homes, recreation centers within 300 yds of the incident to keep everyone indoors until advised that it is safe. Don’t forget to tell them afterwards.

45. In Route to a Stinging Incident • Everyone that will get out of any rescue vehicles within 100 yds of the stinging incident must put on PPE, including gloves, bee veils or face masks and hoods. AHB will attack anyone within 150 feet or more of a disturbed colony.

46. Staging for Rescue 300+ yards 150 ft. Recon Vehicle as close as possible Locate all victims Locate bee colony Direct rescue efforts Evacuate victim

47. Choice of Foam • AFFF – aqueous film-forming foam is recommended by Arizona F.R. Depts. • Class A foam is an acceptable substitute at 2-5%. • AFFF foam kills bees within 60 sec and knocks them down immediately by wetting them. • Plain water will only knock bees off temporarily and will not normally kill them.

48. Approach Recommendations • Class A foams . • A quick attack 1-3/4" hose line will be pulled and hooked to the apparatus. The hose line will be pulled by the firefighter at a quick pace towards the affected patient, with a full fog pattern on the nozzle -- sweeping the air surrounding the firefighters and patient. Figure 8 pattern.

49. Attack Line • 1½ “ hose line. • 120 P.S.I. At 95 G.P.M. • Class A foam with a full fog pattern.

50. 1¾” Line With Integrated FoamEquipment Using Class A Foam Ambulance Waiting 300 yards away