Keeping pests out of institutional and commercial buildings is a bit like stopping a superstar running back: You can’t stop them. You can only hope to slow them down. In the case of one military facility, even trying to slow down intruders didn’t work.
A U.S. Coast Guard station in Rio Vista, California, has a mouse problem. So much so, that the small outpost recently closed temporarily as the service evaluated the cost to address the infestation and make the repairs needed to keep the pests out, according to Military Times.
The small boat station closed for at least 30 days to make emergency repairs and address health concerns. A Coast Guard public affairs officer said the concerns stemmed from unsanitary conditions caused by mice, adding that other unnamed environmental issues and the age of the buildings, which were built in the early 1970s, also appear to be contributing factors.
The Government Accountability Office estimated in 2021 that the Coast Guard had a maintenance backlog for its shore infrastructure of more than $2.6 billion. More than half its shore infrastructure is operating beyond its service life.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
