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October 17, 2008 5:00 pm ET TEXAS The Postal Service announced today it is expanding mail delivery to hundreds of residential and business customers located in heavily damaged areas of Galveston by installing Cluster Box Units (CBUs) as a temporary measure as the area continues its recovery efforts. The installation of 24 CBUs along curb lines in the downtown area of Galveston along 21st Street, 22nd Street, and 23rd Street which began October 16 will provide immediate relief for postal customers currently picking up their mail at the temporary site at 14057 Delaney Street in La Marque. Additional CBUs are scheduled to be installed along the Avenues in the downtown area beginning October 20. Other CBUs installed at locations across the area that were damaged as a result of Hurricane Ike, including Jamaica Beach and Tiki Island, are being repaired and restored with new mailbox locks as needed. CBUs are free-standing mailbox units with up to 16 locked mailboxes, along with parcel lockers and a slot for mail collection. They are widely used across the nation for safe and secure access to mail 24-hours a day. Customers that will have new or restored CBU mail delivery service will be provided with keys for their locked mail receptacle when they pick up their mail at the temporary site in La Marque, TX. Flyers announcing the availability of keys for the CBUs will also be posted at each installed unit. Postal operations for both the Galveston Main Post Office and the Bob Lyons Station Post Office have been housed at the temporary site at 14057 Delaney Street in La Marque since Sept. 24. Mail delivery service resumed Sept. 29, and has increased steadily to over 80 percent of all pre-hurricane deliveries as access improves and customers provide instructions to resume service. Mail for Post Office Box customers in ZIP Code 77552 began operating October 14 from portable buildings placed onsite at Bob Lyons Station Post Office. Located at 5826 Broadway, all other operations for Bob Lyons Station (ZIP Codes 77551, 77552, and 77554) will transition from the La Marque site into portable buildings positioned in front of the Galveston postal facility by October 27. Repairs to the building are set to be completed within six months. The Galveston Main Post Office is located in the Federal Building at 601 25th Street, a facility managed by the Government Services Administration (GSA). The facility provides retail service, Post Office Box service, and mail delivery operations for ZIP Codes 77550, 77553, and 77555. A decision regarding the establishment of a temporary site on the island for the Galveston Main Post Office is expected within ten days. For customers that have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service recommends filing a Change of Address in order to forward mail to their new address. Customers may file a Change of Address order online at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). In addition, customers may request a “Hold Mail” order for up to 30 days by following any of the same options above. October 14, 2008 1:00 pm ET TEXAS Postal officials announced today that effective October 14, mail for Post Office Box customers in ZIP Code 77552 will be available from portable buildings placed onsite in front of the Bob Lyons Station Post Office in Galveston TX. The transition of services for Post Office Box customers from the temporary La Marque location back to Bob Lyons Station will occur over the Columbus Day weekend. The temporary Postal Service location at 14057 Delaney Street in La Marque will continue to provide mail pickup and retail services for all other ZIP Codes in the city of Galveston. Current plans call for all Bob Lyons Station postal operations to transition to onsite portable buildings no later than October 27. Mail pickup and delivery operations for customers served by the Galveston Main Post Office (ZIP Codes 77550, 77553, 77555) will continue at the La Marque location until further notice. Bob Lyons Station at 5826 Broadway provides retail service, Post Office Box service and mail delivery operations for ZIP Codes 77551, 77552 and 77554. The building is heavily damaged, and repairs are set to be completed within six months The Galveston Main Post Office at 601 Rosenberg provides retail service, Post Office Box service, and mail delivery operations for ZIP Codes 77550, 77553, and 77555. The building sustained major damage and will remain closed for an undetermined time. For customers that have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service recommends filing a Change of Address in order to forward mail to their new address. Customers may file a Change of Address order online at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). In addition, customers can request a “Hold Mail” order for up to 30 days by following any of the same three options above. October 8, 2008 9:00 am ET TEXAS In an effort to clear unclaimed mail volumes and adhere to established delivery guidelines in areas impacted by Hurricane Ike, the Postal Service is advising postal customers that have not yet picked up their mail or made formal alternate arrangements in lieu of their normal mail service to do so before October 20. Many Post Offices in the Houston-Beaumont-Galveston are currently holding mail for thousands of postal customers that have not yet made arrangements to receive or pickup their mail, and have not contacted the Postal Service to establish formal mail forwarding or hold mail orders in lieu of their normal delivery service. “Unclaimed Mail” is mail classified as undeliverable based on any of the following guidelines:
Forwarding of mail such as First Class Mail and Periodicals which meets one of the Unclaimed Mail criteria above will be returned to sender in order to adhere to mailer instructions and established Postal Service guidelines. Customers having either a current “Change of Address” order or “Hold Mail” order with the Postal Service, or are picking up their mail on a regular basis are not impacted by these guidelines. For customers that have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service recommends filing a Change of Address in order to forward mail to their new address. Customers may file a Change of Address order online at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). In addition, customers can request a “Hold Mail” order for up to 30 days by following any of the same three options above. October 1, 2008 3:00 pm ET TEXAS All Post Offices in the city of Houston (770) are open. All Post Offices in ZIP Code areas 770, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, and 778 are operating normally with the following exceptions: Post Office Box service for customers served by the Crystal Beach (77650), and Port Bolivar Post Offices has relocated to the Winnie Post Office at 3234 Highway 124 in Winnie. The High Island (77623) Post Office has resumed operations. Mail for Post Office Box customer served by the Gilchrist Post Office (77617) has relocated to the Stowell Post Office at 3608 Highway 124 in Stowell. Retail and mail delivery service has resumed at the Orange (77630) and Texas City (77590, 77591) post offices, and portable trailers are housing operations at both sites while building repairs are completed. Post Office Box service for Wallisville (77597) Post Office customers has been relocated to the Mont Belvieu Post Office at 16043 Eagle Drive in Mont Belvieu. Mail for Post Office Box customers served by the Sabine Pass (77655) Post Office is available at the Beaumont Main Post Office at 5815 Walden Road until further notice. The Beaumont Downtown branch office (77704) has reopened. September 29, 2008 11:00 am ET TEXAS Mail delivery resumes today for business and residential customers in the city of Galveston. The temporary mail pickup site in La Marque will continue operations for anyone requiring this service, however, postal officials are encouraging all Galveston residents to inspect and repair or replace their mail receptacle to ensure it is suitable for Postal Service use. In addition to having a mailbox that meets Postal Service guidelines, mail delivery operations are also dependent on accessible roadways and the overall safety of letter carriers. Mail collection boxes that are accessible will follow regular mail collection schedules, unless posted as temporarily out of service. Service for Post Office Box customers normally served through the Galveston Main Post Office and Bob Lyons Station will remain at the Gulfway Plaza at La Marque outlet mall site, which is located at 14057 Delaney Road in La Marque. Located near IH-45 at Exit 13. The site has retail service available and is open to postal customers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday. For Galveston postal customers preferring to continue picking up their mail at the temporary site in La Marque, that option remains available until repairs are completed at both Post Offices in Galveston. A Mobile Retail Van is operating onsite at Bob Lyons Station to provide retail service and mail collection for all Galveston residents from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. Bob Lyons Station is located at 5826 Broadway, and the building is scheduled to reopen in five months. The Galveston Main Post Office at 601 Rosenberg, which provides retail services and serves Post Office Box customers, sustained flood damage and will remain closed for an undetermined time. If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). September 25, 2008 11:30 am ET TEXAS Postal Service employees are busy today providing mail pickup service at a temporary mail pickup location in La Marque for residential and business postal customers served by the Galveston Main Post Office and Bob Lyons Station on Galveston Island. Located at 14057 Delaney Road in La Marque, the temporary location will begin operations on Wednesday, September 24. The temporary site will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday. The temporary site is located near IH-45 at the Delaney Road Exit (take Exit 13 and turn right from either direction) in the Gulfway Plaza at La Marque shopping center. Current estimates call for the Gulfway Plaza site to operate for several weeks, at which time all operations will move back into Galveston. The Gulfway Plaza at La Marque site also has Post Office Box mail available for pickup by postal customers normally served at both the Galveston Main Post Office and Bob Lyons Station. An initial plan to provide Post Office Box mail onsite at Bob Lyons Station has been delayed due to customer safety concerns as the building undergoes major renovations. A Mobile Retail Van will be onsite at Bob Lyons Station to provide retail service and mail collection for all Galveston residents beginning today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday — Friday. Bob Lyons Station is located at 5826 Broadway, and the building is scheduled to reopen in five months. The Galveston Main Post Office at 601 Rosenberg, which provides retail services and serves Post Office Box customers, sustained flood damage and will remain closed for an undetermined time. Mail delivery operations will resume as soon as possible, provided that roadways are accessible, conditions are safe for letter carriers, postal customers have returned, and mail receptacles are available. If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). COA cards are being made available to shelters. September 19, 2008 5 pm ET The Postal Service has reconnected with postal customers in every community in the greater Houston area today through either mail delivery within accessible areas or mail pickup service at onsite or alternate locations. Just days after Hurricane Ike damaged dozens of Post Offices in the greater Houston area (ZIP Code areas 770, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778) and left most facilities without power, postal employees have rallied to relocate service to alternate locations, placed electrical generators into service at over 150 locations, deployed portable trailers at sites where long-term repairs have been initiated, and provided access to basic services to every Texas Gulf Coast resident. The Postal Service has made special arrangements for Galveston residents to pickup their mail on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 19, 20, 22 and 23 respectively, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) located at 4600 Aldine Bender Road east of JFK Blvd. This temporary location is providing displaced Galveston residents with access to important mail such as checks, documents, packages, and medicine. An alternate location to provide temporary mail pickup and retail service to Galveston residents will open on September 25 in either Texas City or La Marque. Post Office Box service for customers served by the Crystal Beach (77650), High Island (77623) and Port Bolivar Post Offices has relocated to the Winnie Post Office at 3234 Highway 124 in Winnie. Mail for Post Office Box customer served by the Gilchrist Post Office (77617) has relocated to the Stowell Post Office at 3608 Highway 124 in Stowell. Limited retail and mail delivery service has resumed at the Orange (77630) and Texas City (77590, 77591) post offices, and portable trailers are being prepared to house operations at both sites while building repairs are completed. Post Office Box service for Wallisville (77597) Post Office customers has been relocated to the Mont Belvieu Post Office at 16043 Eagle Drive in Mont Belvieu. The Seabrook (77586) Post Office is providing limited retail and mail delivery service where access is available, and has reoccupied the building after repairs were completed. Mail for Post Office Box customers served by the Sabine Pass (77655) Post Office and the Beaumont Downtown branch office (77704) is available at the Beaumont Main Post Office at 5815 Walden Road until further notice. If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). COA cards are being made available to shelters. September 18, 2008 5 pm ET Post Offices throughout the greater Houston area continued recovery efforts today despite power outages, with all Post Offices in the city of Houston operational and providing limited retail and delivery service, including Oak Forest Station (77018, 77092), where building repairs were completed September 17. Post Office Box service for customers served by the Crystal Beach (77650), High Island (77623) and Port Bolivar Post Offices has relocated to the Winnie Post Office at 3234 Highway 124 in Winnie. Mail for Post Office Box customer served by the Gilchrist Post Office (77617) has relocated to the Stowell Post Office at 3608 State Highway 124 in Stowell. Post Office Box service for Wallisville (77597) Post Office customers has been relocated to the Mont Belvieu Post Office at 16043 Eagle Drive in Mont Belvieu. Mail delivery and limited retail service has resumed onsite at the Orange (77630) and Texas City (77590, 77591) post offices, and portable trailers are being prepared to house operations at both sites while building repairs are completed. The Seabrook (77586) Post Office has resumed mail delivery and will reoccupy the building on September 19. In Beaumont, mail for Post Office Box customers served by the Downtown branch office (77704) is available at the Beaumont Main Post Office at 5815 Walden Road. If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at usps.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). COA cards will be made available to all shelters. September 18, 2008 3:30 p.m. ET Update for Texas Mail for Galveston The United States Postal Service (USPS) has developed a plan for making mail available to Galveston customers in response to the limited access to Galveston Island and the damage to homes and businesses. All of the mail destined to Galveston is securely stored in the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center where it is safe and untouched by the effects of Hurricane Ike. The USPS is rapidly finalizing a temporary location near Galveston Island, most likely in Texas City or La Marque. This temporary facility will be ready to provide mail to Galveston residents by Thursday, September 25th. The temporary facility will provide a working environment for our carriers and clerks that normally work on Galveston Island. At this alternate location, dedicated employees will continue to sort and deliver mail across a retail counter to customers. We will announce this location and the date that customers can start picking up your mail there once the location lease is signed this week. The USPS has made special arrangements to Galveston residents only to pick up their mail on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 19, 20, 22 and 23 respectively, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at a window set aside for this purpose at the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) located at 4600 Aldine Bender Road east of JFK Blvd. If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at USPS.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). COA cards will be made available to all shelters. September 17, 2008 8:00 p.m. ET Update for Louisiana 700 ZIP Code Post Offices Barataria and Lafitte Post Offices are now open for business. Update for Texas The USPS continues to move forward in its effort to reach 100% service in the greater Houston, Beaumont and Galveston area by positioning retail service vans in areas where Post Offices are damaged. A detailed list of damaged locations follows:
September 16, 2008 5:30 p.m. ET Update for Texas Post Offices in the city of Houston have all reopened, with the exception of Oak Forest Station. A mobile van is in place at Oak Forest Station (77018, 77092) to provide temporary retail services for customers in the local community. Limited retail services such as stamp sales are being provided by employees at all Houston Post Offices today. A total of seven Post Offices in the city are operating on full electrical power, while others are operating with portable power generators. Mail delivery and mail collection continues to expand in the city, except in areas deemed inaccessible due to the presence of road debris and localized flooding. In Houston and North Houston more than 150 portable generators have been deployed to Post Offices in the area and contractors have begun work to restore damaged facilities. In Beaumont, the Main Post Office (77707), South End Station (77701,77702, 77705), and Tobe Hahn Station (77703, 77706, 77708, 77713) are operating on auxiliary power and providing limited retail, and delivery service, while Lumberton Station (77657) is operating normally. Due to closure of the Jack Brooks Federal Building, Post Office Box customers served through the Downtown Branch Post Office can collect their mail at the Post Office Box door at the Beaumont Main Post Office at 5815 Walden Road. Post Offices located outside the city encompassing the greater Houston, Beaumont and Galveston areas (ZIP Code areas 773, 774, 775, 776, 777) have reopened. Orange (77630), Seabrook (77586) and Galveston’s Main Post Office (77550) and Bob Lyons Station (77551) are closed due to facility damage or inaccessibility. A mobile retail van is in place at the Texas City Post Office (77590, 77591), due to facility damage, and additional mobile units will be deployed as needed. Due to serious facility damage, mail for Post Office Box customers served at the Port Bolivar (77560), Crystal Beach (77650), and High Island (77623) Post Offices has been temporarily relocated to the Winnie Post Office (77665) at 324 Hwy. 124 in Winnie for pickup. Mail for customers at the Gilchrist Post Office (77617), has been relocated to the Stowell Post Office (77661) at 3608 State Hwy. 124. September 16, 2008 4:30 p.m. ET Update for Louisiana All Lafayette and Lake Charles Post Offices, as well as all other 705 and 706 post office operations, are open for customer service and delivery. 700 ZIP Code Post Offices which remain closed due to accessibility or flooding are as follows: Barataria Post Office remains closed and Barataria residents can pick their mail up at the nearby Lafitte Post Office. 703 – 704 Code Post Offices Montegut Post Officeis closed and residents can pick their mail up from the Houma Post Office during regular hours of operations. Dulac Post Office is closed due to flooding. Dulac residents can pick their mail up at the Bourg Post Office. Grand Isle Post Office also remains closed due to accessibility via LA Highway 1. Grand Isle residents can pick up their mail from the Lockport Post Office. 705 – 706 Offices Delcambre Post Office remains closed due to flooding. Residents of Delcambre may pick their mail up at the Abbeville Post Office. Cameron Post Office will remain closed until a temporary facility can be opened. Residents of Cameron, Grand Chenier and Creole can pick their mail up at the Lake Charles Drew Station. Hackberry Post Office remains closed and residents can pick up their mail at the Sulphur Post Office. In areas where delivery is curtailed due to flooding, residents can retrieve their mail at their local Post Office. September 15, 2008 4:30 p.m. ET Service update for Houston, TX Post Offices located outside the city encompassing the greater Houston, Beaumont and Galveston areas (ZIP Code areas 773, 774, 775, 776, 777), are also reopening today, depending on facility access and available staffing, and are asking postal employees that have not yet reported to work to do so. Mobile retail vans are being deployed to Houston’s Oak Forest Station (77018, 77092) and Texas City (77590, 7701), and additional retail vans will be deployed to other damaged facilities as needed to provide essential mail services to postal customers. Larger post offices in the greater Houston area that are open and providing limited retail and delivery service today include: Baytown (77520, 77521, 77523), Beaumont (77701, 77702, 77703, 77704, 77705, 77706, 77707, 77708, 77713), Bellaire (77401), Conroe (77301, 77303, 77304, 77306, 77384, 77385), Cypress (77429, 77433), Friendswood (77546) Humble (77345, 77346, 77347). Others include Katy (77449, 77450), Missouri City (77459, 77489), Pasadena (77501), Spring (77373, 77388, 77379-82, 77386, 77388, 77389), Richmond (77406, 77407), Rosenberg (77471), Stafford (77477), and Sugar Land (77478, 77479, 77498). Post Offices in smaller communities in the area are making similar efforts today. Update for Louisiana West Lake, Vinton and Sulphur Post Offices are open with limited service. The following Post Offices are inaccessible due to flooding: Delcambre 70528, Avery Island 70513, Dulac 70353, Montegut 70377, Barataria 70036, Grand Isle 70358, and Lafitte 70067. Hackberry and Cameron Post Offices are also inaccessible due to floodwaters. Efforts are underway to establish a temporary Post Office. Residents of Hackberry and Cameron can pick up their mail at Lake Charles Drew Station. For the latest information on USPS service updates, check: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm. September 14, 2008 3 p.m. ET Please Note: The Postal Service is moving generators to facilities that have no power to expedite mail processing and distribution. In locations where roads are impassable or unsafe for travel, mail delivery services may be temporarily curtailed until normal conditions are restored. Those few customers who are unable to receive mail delivery may pick up their mail at their local delivery Post Office. Update follows: TEXAS Post Offices in the Victoria and Corpus Christi areas (ZIP Codes 779 and 783, respectively) will resume services no later than Monday morning. There may be a few, isolated places where standing water or roads closed by local officials may cause mail to be curtailed until road conditions return to normal. All post offices are open, so customers can pick up mail there if road conditions prohibit delivery. Galveston - 2 offices without power. Road to island closed, facility status unknown. Post Offices in the city of Houston (ZIP Code area 770) are set to reopen on Monday, with the exception of Nassau Bay Station and Albert Thomas Station, where mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect. Retail Post Office lobby services will be available at Post Offices in Houston on Monday, except at Nassau Bay (77058) and Albert Thomas (77059 and 77062) stations. Mail delivery will resume in the city of Houston on Monday where local conditions permit, except for ZIP Codes 77058 and 77059. All operations in the greater Bryan area (ZIP Code area 778) are operating normally, and the Processing & Distribution Facility is processing mail today. All Post Offices and Postal Service operations in the surrounding areas outside the city of Houston (ZIP Code areas 773, 774, 775, 776, 777), encompassing the greater Houston, Beaumont, Bay City, Freeport, and Galveston areas, will resume operations, provided any mandatory evacuation order has been lifted. LOUISIANA Many areas in Calcasieu, Cameron, Beauregard, Allen, Iberia, Jeff Davis, St.Mary, St. Charles, St. John, St. James, Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, Vermillion and St. Bernard Parishes are still experiencing flooding along waterways, as well as low-lying areas. West Lake, Vinton and Sulphur Post Offices are open with limited service, operating on generator power until electricity restored by local utility companies. Delcambre and Avery Island Post Offices (705 ZIP Code area) are inaccessible due to flood waters. Dulac, Montegut, Barataria, Grand Isle and Lafitte Post Offices are inaccessible due to flooding. Hackberry and Cameron Post Offices are inaccessible due to flood waters. Efforts are underway to establish a temporary post office, and residents of Hackberry and Cameron can pick up their mail at Lake Charles Drew Station. Lake Charles is without power but generators will allow limited service on Monday, September 15, 2008. September 13, 2008 12 p.m. ET TEXAS Post Offices in the Victoria and Corpus Christi areas (ZIP Codes 779 and 783, respectively) come through Ike without damage. All employees accounted for and service is expected to resume no later than Monday morning in those areas. September 12, 2008 5 p.m. ET LOUISIANA In Cameron Parish, the Cameron and Hackberry Post offices are closed. Grand Isle Post Office remains closed due to damage from Hurricane Gustav. Abbeville, Erath, Perry, Delcambre, Avery Island, and Kapland Post Offices are closed until conditions permit reentry. TEXAS The East Texas counties of Tyler, Jasper, and Newton are under mandatory evacuation. These counties include Post Offices in the following cities — Chester, Colmesneil, Doucette, Woodville, Jasper, Kirbyville, Weirgate, Burkeville, Newton, Bon Wier and Call. All Post Offices and Postal Service operations within the city of Houston (ZIP Code area 770) and surrounding areas (ZIP Code areas 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778), encompassing the greater Bryan, Beaumont and Galveston areas, will cease operations at 7 p.m. on September 12, and will remain closed on Saturday, September 13. No retail service, mail delivery, or other postal services will be provided on September 13. The following offices located in the Texas Coastal Bend 779 and 783 ZIP code areas will be closed throughout the weekend and open on Monday: Aransas County Calhoun County Jackson County Victoria County Refugio County Other Post Offices in the 779, 783 and 784 ZIP code areas, depending on local conditions, may temporarily close their lobbies, including those normally open 24 hours, as the storm makes landfall. Those closed Post Office lobbies will reopen once the storm has passed, and the security of employees, facilities, and the mail has been ensured. Pls Note: There will be no Express and First Class Mail delivery this weekend in the above zip codes. Delivery is expected to resume Monday if conditions permit. For the latest information on USPS service updates, check: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm. Postal Service employees in the area are being advised to check for changes to their scheduled work reporting status by contacting the USPS National Emergency Notification Hotline to determine if any special instructions have been issued. The toll-free USPS National Emergency Notification Hotline for U.S. Postal Service employees is: 1-888-363-7462. September 11, 2008 4 p.m. ET The state government of Texas has issued a disaster declaration for 88 counties expected to be impacted by Hurricane Ike and a presidential disaster declaration was granted today giving emergency protective measures for 25 of the 88 counties. Tomorrow will be major decision point for 13 counties in South TX to decide on evacuation. At this time, the United States Postal Service is preparing facilities in the event of mandatory evacuations along the Texas Coast. The primary goals continue to be to ensure employee and customer safety, secure the mail and protect Postal facilities. Be advised that postal facilities located in areas where mandatory evacuations are in force will comply with the orders of local emergency management officials. Louisiana - New Orleans Texas Mandatory evacuations are also in effect in the Aransas and Refugio Counties (ZIP Codes 779 and 783) forcing the closure of Post Offices in those counties today and tomorrow. Mandatory evacuations by geographic area are: Harris County Brazoria County Chambers County Matagorda County Galveston County Jefferson County Orange County September 11, 2008 10 a.m. ET The state government of Texas has issued a disaster declaration for 88 counties expected to be impacted by Hurricane Ike and a presidential disaster declaration was granted today giving emergency protective measures for 25 of the 88 counties. Tomorrow will be major decision point for 13 counties in South TX to decide on evacuation. At this time, the United States Postal Service is preparing facilities in the event of mandatory evacuations along the Texas Coast. The primary goals continue to be to ensure employee and customer safety, secure the mail and protect Postal facilities. New Orleans, LA — Cameron Parish is under mandatory evacuation and the Cameron and Hackberry Post Offices are closed until further notice. Texas — Mandatory evacuations have been ordered today for the Greater Beaumont area (ZIP Codes 776 and 777); for the Greater South Houston area (ZIP Codes 775) and a small portion of the Greater West Houston area (ZIP Codes 774). Mandatory evacuations are also in effect in the Aransas and Refugio Counties (ZIP Codes 779 and 783) forcing the closure of Post Offices in those counties today and tomorrow. September 10, 2008 12 p.m. ET Hurricane Ike is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning, approximately, 2 a.m. with the Hurricane center entering between Houston and Corpus Christi. It is expected that a 100 mile stretch of Texas Coastline will be impacted. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is on full alert and has taken steps to rally resources toward those areas most impacted. The Emergency Operations Team in the Rio Grande area began work on Monday in earnest to continue expediting processes that ensure employees are safe, mail is secured and facilities protected. Social Security Checks (SSA) were delivered yesterday to all affected ZIP Codes. September 9, 2008 2:00 pm ET New Orleans, LA — The Cameron Parish is under MANDATORY EVACUATION beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday September 10, 2008. This includes the Cameron and Hackberry Post Offices. September 9, 2008, 12:00 p.m. ET Dallas, TX — Hurricane IKE is presently in Cuba and the weather models shows a trajectory that, at the present time, cuts a broad swath from Houston to the north and as far south as Monterrey, Mexico with projected impact in the Brownsville/McAllen area of the Rio Grande Valley. The Postal Service is monitoring Hurricane Ike's path closely while making preparations for its eventual landfall. All along the coasts of Louisiana and Texas, all Post Offices and distribution centers are on alert. Power generators, water and other necessities are on standby for distribution to any impacted sites. As the weather model evolves and a more precise location for landfall is known, the Postal Service will rally resources to those sites and move to secure the mail, protect facilities and ensure the safety of our employees. Although not all districts will experience the full effect of the hurricane, those not directly impacted may see flooding and high winds as the hurricane drives inland. All employees and their families — especially those in the coastal areas of Texas, including Houston and Louisiana — should be prepared for the full impact of Hurricane Ike. Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m. ET. — There will be no retail or delivery operations in the Florida Keys Monday, Sept. 8, and no transportation of mail into the Keys until further instructions from Monroe County officials, who are assessing safety and accessibility to roads. Monroe County (Florida Keys) evacuation of residents is in progress as Category 4 Hurricane Ike approaches the Florida coast: Lower Keys began at 8 a.m. The Middle Keys began at 12 Noon. The Upper Keys will begin at 4 p.m. News Releases
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