There has been a bed-bug crisis in the city's emergency center.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has released information about a small bed-bug infestation in the "dispatchers area" of the city's emergency communications center, i.e., the place where folks take 911 calls.
City exterminators have treated the area once and are returning again on Tuesday morning to finish the job, police say.
See also: - Report: Big Increase in Bed Bugs in St. Louis
A police spokeswoman tells us that last Friday, an employee observed a single bug on the floor of the dispatchers area. The bug was killed.
But a short while later, another bug was apparently spotted in the same area.
An employee took a photo and sent it to the city Buildings Division.
Exterminators there confirmed that this was, in fact, a bed bug.
At this point, the area was evacuated. Police say a total of 23 employees -- 17 dispatchers, 2 supervisors, 1 commander and 3 administrative staffers working at the time -- were moved to a back-up location for roughly five hours.
Police say there were no additional sightings off bed bugs in the communications center or in district patrol cars.
Officials also note that there was no interruption of 911 services during this time.
"As a result of this issue," police say in a statement, "employees have been asked to refrain from bringing blankets to work."
Side note: 911 dispatchers apparently bring blankets to work! Learn something new every day...
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