The 'Rat Pack': NYC recruiting new group of anti-rodent activists to help in city mitigation efforts
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a new opportunity for people to help in the fight against rodents: by becoming an official member of the "Rat Pack."
According to the city, the Rat Pack will represent a group of anti-rat activists whose job will be to "educate, engage, and take action on all things rat mitigation."
"So now we're doing something new. We're recruiting an entirely new generation of the Rat Pack," said Adams at a press conference in Sunset Park on Sunday. "As you saw when I walked up, you don't have to be Frank Sinatra. The crew is just a different type of leader to fight the rats and we want you to join us and become a member of our Rat Pack."
In order to become an official member of the group, you must complete the following requirements:
1) Learn about safe and effective methods for rat mitigation by signing up for virtual or in-person trainings through the Department of Health Rat Academy.
2) Understand the relationship between the city environment, humans and rats by taking a Rat Walk.
3) Participate with members of your community in a NYC Service Volunteer Project that supports efforts to keep the city clean and rat-free.
Participants will be emailed a form to certify their participation in the above tasks. Once certified, they will be able to get some Rat Pack swag, including a t-shirt or a hat.
The program comes after Adams introduced Kathleen Corradi as the city's first rat czar last year. In the newly created role, Corradi coordinates across city government agencies, community organizations and the private sector to reduce NYC's rat population.
In January, the NYC Departmentation of Sanitation said New York was winning the war on rats, as rodent sightings in mitigation zones were down across the city. More recently, Adams joined Sanitation Department officials to unveil the city's first official trash bin meant to keep the streets cleaner and curb the rat population.
You can find more information on how to join NYC's Rat Pack on the NYC Service website.
ALSO READ | Mayor Eric Adams unveils first official NYC Bin for trash pickup
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