BUCYRUS — The Bucyrus City School District, with the guidance of the Crawford County Health Department, has increased its vigilance to exterminate any pests in the wake of isolated cases of bed bugs discovered in three classrooms at the Bucyrus Middle School. The district informed only families of students in the Middle School of the discovery through a letter and phone call Wednesday, March 8.

The district has an on-going contract with a state licensed professional exterminator. This professional exterminator performs monthly treatments of all buildings in the district, and is on-call when isolated cases of bed bugs are discovered.

“After discovering bed bugs in three classrooms at the Bucyrus Middle School, the district immediately called the state licensed professional exterminator who we have on retainer,” said Superintendent Kevin Kimmel. “The exterminator is working diligently in the Middle School to eliminate any presence of the pests, and the exterminator provided traps in the buildings that are monitored closely.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bed bugs are a nuisance but are not known to cause or spread disease. They are usually active at night when they feed, and their bite is usually painless but may become swollen and itch.

If you have experienced bed bugs in your home, it is strongly recommended that you seek professional assistance from a licensed pest control company. Contact your healthcare provider should you suspect that you, or a family member, require care for bed bug bites.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Bucyrus City School District Superintendent Kevin Kimmel at 419-562-4045, or Crawford County Health Department Environmental Health Director Steve Jozwiak at 419-562-5871.