Lakewood council member now also heads up mosquito agency
West Nile virus and the dreaded Zika virus are two of the big issues that keep long-time Lakewood resident and council member Steve Croft focused and concerned as the newly appointed president of the board of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.
The vector control district treats and removes mosquito breeding sources and monitors the region for mosquito diseases.
Lakewood and 35 other communities that comprise the district each have one representative on the agency’s board. As a Lakewood City Council Member, Croft has served as Lakewood’s representative since 2012, and he says he was honored to be elected by his board colleagues to serve as president for 2017.
“The public health aspects of this work are very important,” said Croft, “and I feel a strong responsibility to help our region stay on the cutting-edge in terms of science and protection for our residents.”
“Public education is key,” said Croft. “Mosquitoes only need a week of standing water to breed. So when we have lots of rain like this winter, we all need to be vigilant about emptying outdoor containers that can hold water. As we say at the vector control district, ‘After rain, dump and drain!’”
“I’m very pleased that our vector control district is nationally recognized for its best practices, and that we’re one of the leaders in taking action to prevent the spread of the Zika virus. It’s vital that we stay on top of that.”
For tips on how you can protect yourself and your home from mosquitoes, go to www.lakewoodcity.org/mosquitoes and for more in-depth information, go to www.glacvcd.org. Or call Lakewood city staff at 562-866-9771, extension 2140.