The Bee
MOHAVE VALLEY—The pilot at the center of an emergency health alert following the annual egg drop in Mohave Valley is speaking out.
Jake Dare, a crop duster with Twin Eagles Aviation says he prepared correctly for this event and that there were no eggs tainted with pesticides.
“We have done the event—Harvest Bible Church’s Egg Drop—for the last 3 years,” said Dare. “After all the eggs come out of the plane I do one more pass and pop smoke to inform the people on the ground all the eggs have been dropped and to send the kids out.”
However, today’s “pop of smoke” turned into worry by some on the ground that the smoke was a pesticide that may have tainted the 2,000 plastic eggs dropped from the aircraft bay.
Dare says those reports are untrue.
“The aircraft was cleaned out this morning by myself. All messages I have been sent, people are saying they smelt fuel,” said Dare. “That would be from the smoke which comes out of the exhaust.”
Dare said the aircraft is cleaned out by himself personally before every event he participates in.
The cause for alert started after a public post by the Mohave Valley Fire Department Saturday afternoon.
The fire department posted on the issue after being contacted by the Mohave County Department of Emergency Management regarding allegations that pesticides may have tainted the eggs.
The alert instructed attendees to discard any candy and eggs from the event. It also warned parents to keep an eye on their child for any symptoms related to possible poisoning if they had already consumed candy.
“Our main concern is the safety and well-being of our residents,” said MVFD. “The purpose of this page—MVFD Facebook—is to only post information that is true and correct, to the best of our knowledge. In a situation such as this, we would rather err on the side of caution.”
In a press release late Saturday night, the Mohave County Department of Public Health said it’s department had received complaints concerning the candy distributed during egg drop event.
The plane used by the organizers to drop the candy at the event had reportedly been used for agricultural purposes, the release said. Furthermore, it states the plane was reportedly scrubbed multiple times prior to being used for the candy drop and at the time of the press release no illnesses had been reported to MCDPH.
The MCDPH said that while no illnesses had been reported, attendees should—as a precaution—not consume the candy and the eggs and candy should be disposed of properly in a trash container to avoid any further contact.
“We understand the concern and believe the event was handled properly,” said Dare. “We would like to thank the church for letting us participate in their annual event, but we will no longer be doing it.”
The annual event is held each year in Mohave Valley for children in the Tri-State at no charge.
I personally would like to Thank you. For your kind and generous contribution to the church. And to the children. It’s a shame that some people have to ruin it for others.
My kids had so much fun. And i did not throw away their candy.
And i do understand why will not be doing it again.
Thank you Kim
To the pilot.
Don’t listen to all the “sky is falling people”. What you did and have done was an awesome,generous event you put on for the kids and adults. I want to commend you for it and I as well as many other things and if people would acknowledge that you would in no way jeopardize the health of anyone. I’m sorry you are being treated like this and I as everyone else am sorry you will not be doing it anymore but we understand since this whole witch Hunt has happened. We wish you the best and thank you for your years of gracious acts..
Thank you..
Bullhead citizen..
GOD BLESS YOU and your familyand friends, as for me and my kids we thank you for your love of are children. Please do it again next year.
Gary Rathman and Family
I noticed some one last week on here crying about them dusting fields. Thats the one to look at. Probably did this to get even.. And disrupt every ones lives..
Too bad the MVDPH didn’t check with the pilot prior to alarming residents. They could then have assured all who called that all was ok.
I was at the event and that pop of smoke was right over me the 2 previous years they were not that close to the public. Once I realized it smelt like pesticides I covered my mouth so as not to inhale it, it was not exhaust fumes I know the difference. I ended up with a sore throat for the rest of the day.
It was not pesticides. It’s smoker oil that is injected into the exhaust to make smoke so the pilot can check drift. If one little whiff caused your throat to be sore what do you think it would do to ag pilots who use it multiple times per day?
Pesticide does not come from the exhaust in any form of pesticide application I am aware of. The smoke is the same stuff used at airshows and numerous other public events. While it does not smell exactly like exhaust it does smell like any pesticide I am aware of either. The article doesn’t specify what model airplane was used but exhaust from a turbine engines smells different than exhaust from a piston engine. For that matter, exhaust from burning avgas smells different than exhaust from car gas.
Sheila, Your full of crap. Smoke from a plane comes from the exhaust. Pesticides come from the belly of the plane, the the hanger doors open, depending on the style of dispencing. But since your a professional pilot who’s been flying for years, or working on them for years, you know it all! Its scum like you, themat ruin it for the rest!
To the Pilot and church, my kids had a great time. My 3 year old son loved seeing the real “Dusty Crophopper” drop the eggs. I think people are completely overreacting. My kids have eaten the candy and stew just fine. I understand not doing it in the future. Some people ruin it for all.