U.S. Postal Service Will Attempt to Maintain Regular Mail Delivery Schedule in Iowa and Illinois Where Possible

Safety of Employees is Primary Concern in Wake of Severe Flooding

DES MOINES, Iowa — In light of the severe flooding in the Midwest, and the threat of additional rain later this week, the U.S. Postal Service's Des Moines-based Hawkeye District is asking impacted employees to contact the agency's National Emergency Notification Hotline at 1-888-363-7462.

“Postal Service employees demonstrate daily that they are simply the best at overcoming these types of challenges,” said Hawkeye District Manager Doug Morrow. “However, we want to remind our employees that our primary concern is for their health and safety. We will deliver where—and when —it is completely safe to do so.”

Managers at the Hawkeye District office will continue to assess transportation and delivery routes in the affected areas. Each of Iowa's approximately 800 Post Offices operates with a "Continuity of Operations Plan" (COOP), which provides for alternate transportation, delivery, mail processing and Retail service options in the event of a natural disaster.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.