Mail Handling Procedures

These are guidelines to handle suspicious packages received by the mail. We have not received any threats, and are attempting to take a proactive precautionary step.

The Capitol Police have been informed that the post office has deployed a fleet of biodetection systems at mail processing locations at a cost of more than $800 million. The annual operating cost has been estimated at more than $100 million.The detectors check for anthrax. Postal workers now are trained to look for suspicious packages and call in postal inspectors if they detect something unusual.

http://i.abcnews.com/Politics/WireStory?id=5501443&page=1

When powder is leaking from a parcel, most of the time it turns out to be food, such as flour or baking powder, or perhaps a pill that has gotten crushed.

According to government agencies the chance of receiving anthrax or other biological agent threats is minimal. The purpose of these procedures is to recommend procedure for handling such incidents.

WHAT CONSTITUTES A "SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE?"

Some typical characteristics Postal Inspectors have detected over the years, which ought to trigger suspicion, include parcels that:

· Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you

· Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are otherwise outdated

· Have no return address, or have one that can't be verified as legitimate

· Are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped

· Have protruding wires, strange odors or stains

· Show a city or state in the postmark that doesn't match the return address

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU'VE RECEIVED A SUSPICIOUS PARCEL IN THE MAIL?

· Do not try to open the parcel! Isolate the parcel

· Evacuate the immediate area

· Contact the Capitol Police Department at 6-7700 to report you have received a suspicious parcel. If you are located in a city that Capitol Police are not the primary responding Police agency, contact your local police, dial 9-911

· Do not handle the mail piece or package suspected of contamination

· Make sure that damaged or suspicious package are isolated and the immediate area is blocked off

· Ensure that all persons who have touched the mail piece wash their hands with soap and water

· List all persons who have touched the letter and/or envelope. Include contact information

· Place all items worn when in contact with the suspected mail piece in plastic bags and keep them whenever you change your clothes and have them available for law enforcement agents

· As soon as practical, shower with soap and water

HOW TO HANDLE ANTHRAX AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL AGENT THREATS

Facilities in communities around the country have received anthrax threat letters. Most were empty envelopes: some have contained powdery substances.

DO NOT PANIC

1. Anthrax organisms can cause infection in the skin, gastrointestinal system, or the lungs. To do so, the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine aerosolized mist. Disease can be prevented after exposure to the anthrax spores by early treatment by appropriate antibiotics. Anthrax is not spread from one person to another person.

2. For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent, it must be aerosolized into very small particles. This is difficult to do, and requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment. If these small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.

SUSPICIOUS UNOPENED LETTER OR PACKAGE MARKED WITH THREATENING MESSAGE SUCH AS "ANTHRAX"

1. Do not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package.

2. PLACE the envelope or package in a plastic bag ot some other type container to prevent leakage of contents

3. If you do not have a container, then COVER the envelope or package with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trashcan, etc.) and do not remove this cover.

4. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e. keep others away).

5. Wash you hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

6. What to do next…

• If you are HOME, then report the incident to local police.
• If you are at WORK, then report the incident to local police, and notify Security/Safety and any available supervisor

7. List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.

ENVELOPE WITH POWDER AND POWDER SPILLS OUT ONTO SURFACE:

1. DO NOT try to CLEAN UP the powder. COVER the spilled contents immediately with anything and do not remove this cover!!

2. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (ie., keep others away).

3. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

4. What to do next:

• If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police.
• If you are at WORK, dial 6-7700 to report incident to Capitol police and notify your supervisor.  If you are located in a city that Capitol Police are not the primary responding Police agency contact your local police.
  

5. REMOVE heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place in a plastic bag, or some other container that can be sealed. This clothing should be given to the emergency responders for proper handling.

6. SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible. Do Not Use Bleach or Other Disinfectant on yon your skin.

7. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both local public health authorities so that proper instruction can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

 QUESTION OF ROOM CONTAMINATION BY AEROSOLIZATION

1. Turn off local fans or ventilation units in the area.

2. LEAVE area immediately.

3. CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).

4. What to do next:

• If you are at home, DIAL 911 to report the incident to local police and local FBI field office.
• If you are at WORK, dial 6-7700 to report incident to Capitol police and notify your supervisor.  If you are located in a city that Capitol Police are not the primary responding Police agency contact your local police. 

5. SHUT down air handling system if building, if possible.

6. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

Visit these sites for more information about suspicious packages:

United States Postal Service - What To Do I You Receive An Anthrax Threat

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Be crime smart

CDC - How to Handle Anthrax Threats