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American Morning
Rodent Task Force Set Up in New York City to Fight Rat Problem
Aired August 07, 2001 - 11:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Pity the poor, wronged rat, maligned as dirty by James Cagney. They are so reviled by workers, they named the daily grind "the rat race." Then, there's the tattletale who rats you out. And out is exactly where the big cities want their rats. Residents are facing an explosion of the rodents. They bring disease. They gnaw at the infrastructure of the town. The problem is so bad in New York City, they have set up a rodent task force. New York City councilman Bill Perkins serves as the chairman.
Quite an honor, Mr. Perkins -- Good morning -- to have the chairman of the rat's summit with us here on CNN LIVE THIS MORNING.
BILL PERKINS, NEW YORK CITY COUNCILMAN: Well, it's an honor to be here. And it was quite a challenge to put together the summit, and even greater challenge to try to eradicate the rat problem that we've been having in New York City.
PHILLIPS: What was the straw that broke the rat's back, so to speak?
PERKINS: That's it. We have to have a summit to really figure this thing out.
PHILLIPS: We had a -- quite an epidemic over the last year of sightings, especially in the public schools, in public parks, the public transportation system, public housing, restaurants, all over the city, we were getting quite a few complaints. Originally, people have sort of ignored the problem as something that was peculiar only to the poor neighbors or something that was too embarrassing to acknowledge.
We started the campaign to ask people to contact us, to let us know whether or not they had a rat problem. And that campaign generated a lot of activity, including demonstrations at city hall, at the department of health, and similar areas, to sort of raise the awareness to government that we had a very serious rat problem.
PHILLIPS: I've got to say, we're showing some yucky pictures as we talk, sir.
PERKINS: As you can see, in some cases, the rats appeared to be much more larger.
PHILLIPS: And bolder. PERKINS: And bolder.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
PERKINS: And they have no fear at all. So we put together the rat summit for last November for the purpose of bringing together world-renowned experts on this matter, as well as those in other urban areas, like Philadelphia, Washington and Chicago, to come to New York, to share their experience with us, and help us come up with a strategy and an understanding of how to address this problem.
PHILLIPS: OK, what did you figure out about why it's getting worse and why these rats are getting bigger and bolder?
PERKINS: Well, essentially, we sort of ignored the problem and assumed that it was something that would go away, simply by responding in terms of complaints. Unfortunately, a complaint-driven system does not provide us with this sort of comprehensive sustained proactive approach that's needed. A complaint-driven system, unfortunately, creates cynicism, because when the rat don't go away, then the complaints starts coming in, and the rats multiply.
PHILLIPS: Well, on that note, sir, let me ask you, of course there are a lot of complaints and certainly government does have to do something about it. But are things that individuals can do to help their own situation in their own home?
PERKINS: Well, there's no question about that. The problem in many respects is a citizen's problem, in that we feed the rats, particularly in New York City, in the manner in which we containerize our garbage. We use black plastic bags to containerize our garbage. These bags are very vulnerable for the rats to get into, and those bags become feasts for the rats. And so, as a result...
PHILLIPS: What do you use instead?
PERKINS: We need rat-proof containerization. We are seeing that being used more and more in Chicago and more and more in places like Washington D.C. We started a campaign in New York City to alert the public as to how to better containerize their garbage, put it in a plastic bag, and then put the plastic bag in a metal container, or some other rat-proof receptacle. But without the rat-proof receptacle, all we're basically doing are feeding the rats.
PHILLIPS: Down here in the South, we have a company we call Varmint Control.
PERKINS: Varmint Control?
PHILLIPS: Varmint Control. That's how we do it down here, true story. We had to do it at my house.
PERKINS: And how are they doing, in terms of the problem?
PHILLIPS: Rat free?
PERKINS: Rat free.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
PERKINS: In your house or in your city?
PHILLIPS: In our neighborhood.
PERKINS: Very good.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
PERKINS: We may have to call on that person to give us some expertise.
PHILLIPS: Varmint Control, true story.
Councilman Bill Perkins, good luck with your rat problem in New York City.
PERKINS: Thank you very much. We'll stay in touch. Bye.
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