Abstract: In fall 2001, five persons died from inhalation anthrax contracted from contaminated letters delivered through the U.S. mail system.1 After the anthrax attacks, the frequency of incidents involving suspicious packages or powder spills increased dramatically, due partly to anthrax hoaxes as well as concerns over leakages from mail that had previously been handled routinely. Since October 2001, over 16,000 such incidents have occurred at postal facilities. These incidents have posed a challenge to the U. S. Postal Service (USPS) as well as to law enforcement and public health agencies at all levels of government. The Postal Service has emphasized to its employees to be on the alert for suspicious mail that may pose a threat and has developed guidance for them on how to identify and respond to such mail, in order to protect them and the public from potential harm. Suspicious mail consists of envelopes or packages that have characteristics that indicate they may have dangerous contents, such as a bomb, a radiological substance, or a biological or chemical agent.2 The Postal Service has made a commitment to continuously improve its processes related to anthrax and other biohazards, including its guidance for identifying and responding to suspicious mail.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Pages: |
66 |
| Report Date: |
JUL 2005 |
| Report Number: |
A161634 |
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