With the mild winter, bear activity in the city started earlier than past years. Over the last few months, the number of bear sightings and activity has increased in the West Lebanon area. The Lebanon Police and Fire Departments urge all residents to use caution while walking in or near the wooded areas and to be sure to supervise children playing outdoors. Further, they remind homeowners to be mindful of the following actions that can be taken to reduce the chances of a bear visiting their home.
Avoid bear encounters by taking a few simple precautions:
- Stop all bird feeding by April 1 or at the onset of extended spring-like weather conditions.
- Clean up any spilled birdseed and dispose of it in the trash.
- Secure all garbage in airtight containers inside a garage or adequate storage area, and put garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before. If using a dumpster, inform your dumpster company that you need a dumpster with metal locking tops and doors that are inaccessible to bears and other wildlife.
- Avoid putting meat or other food scraps in your compost pile.
- Don’t leave pet food dishes outside overnight.
- Clean and store outdoor grills after each use.
- Finally, never feed bears!
Lebanon officials are in contact with State of New Hampshire Fish and Game Officers and Wildlife Experts to monitor the bear activity and implement strategies to lessen the likelihood of encounters with people. Please visit NH Fish and Game online for more Bear Aware Tips.
Questions or problems with bears can be reported to Lebanon Emergency Communications at 603.448.1212. General questions can be directed to Chief Chris Christopoulos at the Lebanon Fire Department at 448.8810 or via email at christopoulos@LebanonNH.gov.
Richard Mello, Police Chief
Chris Christopoulos, Fire Chief-Emergency Management Director