Preparing for the Unthinkable

Postal Service may play crucial role in Cities Readiness Initiative

 It’s a day we hope never arrives — an airborne biological attack on a major U.S. city. But in the aftermath of 9/11 and the anthrax attacks, cities across the country are planning their response in case of just such an event.

 The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) is a federal program being led by the Department of Health and Human Services in 21 cities to assess the readiness of those cities to respond to a large scale biological terrorist attack. The goal of CRI is for a city to be capable of providing medicine to its entire population within 48 hours of an incident.

 One option is delivering medicines to residences using USPS volunteer letter carriers.  In February 2004, PMG Jack Potter signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to make USPS resources available “to help dispense medical countermeasures communitywide in response to a biological terrorism incident.” The offer of USPS assistance under the MOA is called the Postal Plan.

 As part of the Postal Plan, USPS volunteer letter carriers will deliver medications and associated information to residential addresses. The Postal Plan is intended to supplement public health preparedness plans as a last resort. Department of Health and Human Services has asked the Postal Service to perform that single task — deliver medicines to residences as defined under the MOA — a position USPS supports.

 USPS Corporate and Field Operations Support Manager Pat Mendonca said city officials and Postal Service representatives are still discussing the details. “The safety and security of our volunteers is our primary concern.  When these issues are worked out, USPS officials, working with our unions and management associations can begin contacting postmasters and local postal unions to begin recruiting volunteers,” said Mendonca.

USPS Responsibilities in New Homeland Security National Response Plan

"The U.S. Postal Service may detect certain biological agents within the U.S. postal system. Detection of a biological agent in the mail stream triggers specific response protocols outlined in agency-specific standard operating procedures."

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE SIGNS NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN

WASHINGTON DC -- The United States Postal Service yesterday joined other federal agencies in signing the National Response Plan, as developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The National Response Plan establishes a standardized approach for all levels of government to work together, to protect citizens and manage homeland security incidents. All Federal departments and agencies that assist during a national incident will use this plan, whether from threats or acts of terrorism, major natural disasters, or man-made emergencies.

"We support a unified approach to emergencies which could challenge our way of life," said USPS Vice President, Emergency Preparedness Henry Pankey.

The National Response Plan is the template used as the basis for the Postal Service's Integrated Emergency Management Plan and Emergency Operations Plan, used to respond to all incidents affecting the Postal Service, including those involving biohazards in the mail.

Under the National Response Plan the Postal Service will also work with other federal departments and agencies on procedures to provide resources -- not immediately required for mail delivery -- for response operations.

Letter Carriers Agree to Deliver Antibiotics to American Homes in Bioterrorist Attack (2/18/04 NALC)

Washington D.C. ~ William H. Young, president of the 305,000-member National Association of Letter Carrier, today issued the following statement upon agreement by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Postal Service for utilization of volunteer letter carriers to deliver antibiotics to homes in the event of a catastrophic bioterrorist event:

"Letter carriers deliver mail six days a week, in every state, every city and every neighborhood in America and with that we develop a close attachment to the families we serve. In the event of a dangerous bioterrorist attack, we consider it essential to help our postal customers protect their health.

"We all hope that such an incident never occurs, but if needed I am confident that members of the NALC would regard this volunteer activity as a patriotic duty not only for their friends and neighbors, but for the nation as a whole