Spray Zero Eight alleviates mosquitoes in Charleston

  • Published
  • By Susan Lawson
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SC --  Air Force Civil Engineer Center Medical Entomologist Don Teig and other reservists from the 757th Airlift Squadron in Youngstown, Ohio, came together this month to eliminate mosquitoes in the dredge spoils outside Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.

The reservists brought a C-130 from Youngstown to complete the mission. The team is called "spray zero eight" for the C-130 tail number, nine one zero eight, and the fact that they are conducting a spray mission.

Teig, a Department of Defense-certified pesticide applicator and Air Force subject matter expert, wrote the Air Force instruction for aerial spray missions.

To spray the area, entomologists determined the quantity to load and worked with local pest managers to determine the application rate, then used a modular aerial spray system, or MASS, which was calibrated after the chemical was loaded to ensure accuracy. The system uses very small amounts of heavy chemicals, ordered from the local area, which then descend to mosquito level.

Spray missions have been around since the beginning of World War II and were executed to provide control of disease causing insects, said Senior Master Sgt. Mark Darby, MASS expert and chief load master.

During the operation, night vision goggles, or NVGs, were used by the navigator to enable night time flights at low altitudes.

Night vision goggles such as these are used by our air crew to be able to do aerial spraying after dark and avoid obstacles that are in the area and minimize non-target impacts on desirable insects such as honeybees, Teig said.

Some of the hurdles navigators may encounter on spray missions include cell phone towers and electrical wires. Reservists training on this mission were educated in the potential obstacles, NVG use, and aerial spray flight proficiency.

The goal is to gain the most beneficial reduction in mosquito populations affecting the health and welfare of the personnel of Joint Base Charleston, Teig said. At the same time, reservists have the opportunity to participate in aerial spray training. The operation, performed at sunset, covered 18,000 acres, spraying a 2000-foot swath. Approximately 0.85 ounces of pesticide were used per acre, with the process taking an hour to an hour-and-a-half to perform.

Post-spray trap data indicated a 97.8-percent reduction in mosquito populations.

Extensive coordination by the 628 Civil Engineer Squadron was required to conduct the aerial spray mission. Representatives from preventive medicine at Charleston Naval Weapons Station surveyed the mosquitoes and briefed their trap results. Base Operations provided weather information and identified the spray area. Base public health was notified and approved the mission. The chemical was ordered locally and vehicles were coordinated for transport to the C-130.

The spray mission required harmonization with the county, beekeepers, public notification through television publications, authorities, emergency staff and emergency rooms, fire departments, and base public health. Material safety data sheets were also provided to emergency staff as a preventative measure.

To learn more about aerial spray missions, contact the AFCEC reach back center at afcec.rbc@us.af.mil or 850-283-6995.

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