A Day on the Job

In pest control, a job that's not all 'eew'

Chris Smith takes on the roaches and rodents so you don't have to, but his favorite part is talking to clients.

By ELLEN MOSES
© St. Petersburg Times
published December 18, 2002

Chris Smith, 31

Pest control technician, Amick and Son Termite and Pest Control, St. Petersburg

How long have you been in pest control?

A little over seven years. I've always worked for Amick.

What kind of experience do you need for a job like this?

You have to have a pretty good driving record and a good record overall. You can't have a DUI and expect to get a job like this with a lot of driving. And your criminal check obviously has to come out clean because we're going into people's houses.

What kind of training did you get for this job?

It was mostly on-the-job training with my supervisor. I trained with him for about two months.

What kind of hours do you work?

I work about 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, and we're off on the weekends. I work between 45 and 50 hours a week.

What's a typical day like for you?

I average probably around 14 or 15 services a day. I do residential and commercial treatments.

What are the most common treatments?

Mostly we're treating for ants and roaches. And at different times of the year you're going to have different types of problems. Normally this time of year we're having problems with rodents, with it being cooler. In the springtime right when those first rains come we get the carpenter ants swarming, as well as the termites.

Any strange or weird pest control calls this year?

Definitely ticks. We've had a lot of tick calls this year. Ticks are very hard to control. Basically we treat the house by crack and crevice, and then we fog the interior of the home when we're finished with that.

Do you have to mix your own chemicals?

No, everything we use is by the label. It's really pretty easy stuff if you follow the directions.

Do you worry about working with some of these chemicals?

No. We have the proper equipment to wear in particular situations. We have gloves and respirators and goggles if we need them. We're pretty careful with all that.

Do you do any termite treatments?

When I started I did some termite training, but there's only six of us with the company. I'm one of three technicians that handle pest control. Mr. Amick and another guy do the termite treatments.

What is your favorite thing about the job?

Definitely my customers. The ones that I've been going to the entire time I've worked here. Some of my elderly customers are some of my favorites. I really enjoy getting to hear their stories from the past.

What's the worst pest problem that you every encountered?

German roaches. There were thousands of them in a vacant rental house. You opened the cabinets and they were everywhere.

Do bugs ever freak you out?

If I see them, I'm fine with it. If they fall on me, that's not good. I don't think anyone is really afraid of a roach. It's just when you're not expecting it and one falls on you.

What are among the hardest places to treat?

Attics can be a problem. Getting up in an attic and dusting an attic can be difficult, because, you know, I'm tall. I'm 6 foot 4, so I don't have a whole lot of room!

Can you describe what would be a good day for you?

A good day for me is when I'm completely busy the entire day from beginning to end and no time for lunch, 'cause I work on commission, so the more services I get, the more I'm going to make.

How many of those shirts with your name patch on it do you own?

I have 10 shirts and 10 pants for work. It makes it easy.

What kind of jobs did you have before?

I was a manager at Foot Locker before I was working at Amick. I also worked at Winn-Dixie as a stock boy for about four years.

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