PROACTIVE ON SAFETY. The Postal Service is continuing to develop and update its emergency management plans in order to ensure, as much as possible, the health and safety of postal employees. USPS is taking a proactive approach to the possibility of a radiation emergency by offering employees potassium iodide tablets. Participation is voluntary and each employee will be offered two pills.

The approach came about after a recommendation from the Postal Service's Mail Security Task Force. The task force, formed after 9/11 and the anthrax mailings, consists of representatives from postal unions and management associations, and USPS management.

Earlier this year, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission revised a section of its emergency preparedness regulations requiring that states having a population within a specific radius of a nuclear reactor consider using potassium iodide as a protective measure to supplement evacuation and sheltering in a radiation emergency.

Employee stand-up talks began in early November and will continue until all 750,000 employees have received the information they need to make an educated decision about whether to take the tablets in the event of a radiation emergency. Employees who want to participate will sign a form and the pills will be held at their work location. Distribution will be made only if notification of a radiation emergency is received from government officials.

SAFEGUARD PERSONAL INFORMATION. National Consumer Protection Week is Feb. 3-8 next year. For the fourth year, the Postal Service Office of Consumer Advocate and the Postal Inspection Service are working together to educate consumers. The theme is Identity Theft – Safeguard Your Personal Information. The goal is to educate consumers about identity theft and information security and provide consumers with tips to prevent them from becoming potential victims. For more information, refer to the Nov. 28 Postal Bulletin. It's on the Web at http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2002/pb22090.pdf.

POWER OF THE PEN. Letters sent via U.S. Mail carry more weight with elected officials than e-mail, according to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. “There's a perception that e-mail doesn't take much effort. Whereas sitting down and writing a letter or making a phone call really shows a much stronger inclination to get your message heard,” said the study.