Postal Service and First Responders to Hold Emergency Drill September 16

Exercise at Bellmawr Mail Facility to Test Biohazard Alert Response

BELLMAWR, NJ — A large-scale emergency exercise, including a practice evacuation, will take place at the U.S. Postal Service’s South Jersey Processing and Distribution Center, 421 Benigno Boulevard, in Bellmawr, on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 from approximately 9 a.m. until 12 noon.

The Postal Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr Police, Fire & Rescue Departments, Camden County Department of Health, Camden County HAZ-MAT, and other first responders are expected to participate.

The purpose of the exercise is to provide practical experience to all participants in the event of a biohazard alert. “This drill will allow all first responders to simulate their respective actions in the event of a biohazard alert at the Postal Service processing facility, said Joanna Korker, district manager for the Postal Service. “We feel an obligation to our employees and the community to be prepared should an actual emergency or alert occur.”

The Bellmawr Police Department will provide security and traffic control services, while fire, rescue and HAZ-MAT teams will conduct a biohazard response, including decontamination of volunteer participants. Camden County Department of Health will simulate gathering health information, counseling participants and providing emergency medication.

The Main Office Window at the facility will evacuate and be closed briefly sometime between 9 and 9:30 a.m. Traffic along Haag Street and Benigno Boulevard may be momentarily interrupted for emergency vehicles, but will not be blocked. Processing at the facility and mail delivery will not be impacted.

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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.