Bed bugs found in the Cabrini apartment complex but treated immediately

Editor’s note: Names are currently listed as anonymous to protect the residents.

Just when one problem stopped with possible mold on campus, another problem started, but this time for residents in the apartments.

On Sunday, Oct. 14, a bed bug was found on Cabrini University‘s campus, in one room of a first-floor apartment. The bed bug was discovered on a rug in the room.

“I was about to do my laundry when I saw a bug on my sheets,” resident one said. “I threw my sheets up and screamed because I thought it was a roach. My roommates immediately came running in.”

According to Pest World, bed bugs are a red-brown color with six legs that feast on blood to survive. Bed bugs can reach the size of ¼ of an inch. They can be found anywhere people tend to spend time in. This can include hotels, schools, dorms or public transportation. These pests can also travel on backpacks. Anyone, clean or dirty, can find bed bugs in their living space. 

“As we looked at the bug more, we realized it was not a roach and instead, was a bed bug by comparing photos online to what we had seen,” resident one said. 

Bed bugs are nocturnal and like to hide in places such as “baseboards with cracks, crevices, and folded areas of beds, bedding and adjacent furniture, especially mattresses and box springs. Bed bugs can also hide in electrical switchplates.”

According to Pest World, although this is a health issue, bed bugs “do not transmit diseases, but their bites can become red itchy welts.”

What did Cabrini do?

Cabrini acted swiftly to solve this as its a public health issue. The residents were told Sunday evening to move into Xavier Hall, a freshman dorm, in a room with five beds temporarily, while this issue was being treated.

Another resident in the room was also frustrated with the sudden move at the beginning of the week.

“It was a hassle to lug our belongings that needed all the way down Residential Boulevard,” resident two said. “At that moment, we didn’t even know how long we would be stuck there for.” 

Before residence life could solve this issue on Sunday, since they are closed on weekends, the students went to public safety to ask for advice on what they should do in the meantime. When arriving to public safety’s office at around 2 p.m. that Sunday, the public safety officer on duty seemed to dismiss their request for help.

Another resident was frustrated with the way public safety responded.

“Public safety acted as if it was a small issue and not concerning all the residents in the apartment,” resident three said. “When we asked them what to do they replied, ‘What do you want us to do about it,’ and rolled their eyes.”

The head of public safety, Joseph Fusco, reached out to residents regarding this situation over the weekend and did address the residents concerns.

An email sent on the morning of Oct. 15 from Meghan Junor, the assistant director of residence life, stated that an exterminator would come Monday afternoon to examine and make an evaluation.

Residence life jumped to getting their outside contractor to evaluate the room as well as clean the room by taking apart the beds, replacing the mattresses, and spraying chemicals on Oct. 15.

It is important to treat bed bugs sooner rather than later.  Bed bugs can detect chemicals and when sensed, they will move to other areas to find human flesh.

The biggest way to prevent getting bugs is to educate others on what the pests look like and when they are around.

“They [bed bugs] don’t care how dirty or how clean an environment is as long as there are people they can bite and suck their blood,” stated on bedbugs.org so no matter where one is located, it is important to always check.

Brett Buckridge, director of Residence Life, met with the residents and emphasized that the exterminator went through every protocol needed to eliminate any further concerns. He encouraged the residents to come back if needed, but did affirm that there should be no further problems.

If you or any of your friends are living in a dorm, be sure to follow these steps before an incident like this can happen to you, provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.