In light of recent high-profile anthrax incidents, the University mail system is following federal and state safety guidelines but not changing day-to-day procedures, according to Joan Saylor, a Department of Public Safety administrative lieutenant.
The University’s Mail Services Department sorts most University mail at a central receiving area. Sorters and carriers were trained in suspicious package recognition before the anthrax incidents, and things are not much different for them now, according to Mail Services Coordinator Diane Longworth.
“We’re doing the same things we always have, except watching a little closer,” Longworth said. “We wash our hands a little more often, we have (masks and gloves) available to carriers, but we leave that up to individual carriers.”
The FBI has not recommend wearing gloves or masks, but strongly advises mail carriers or anyone sorting their mail to wash their hands frequently.
If any packages seem suspicious, DPS should be contacted, according to Saylor. DPS will respond with two officers whenever possible, with one officer going to the affected area, while the other officer will talk to others in the area to determine if anyone has handled the item in question, according to the DPS Web site.
“We’re telling people to be mindful when they open their mail,” Saylor said. “There have been no specific threats toward Oregon or the University, and we don’t want to make people’s lives more fearful than they need to be. If you receive suspicious mail, put it down, don’t handle it, call DPS and we will respond quickly.”
Once DPS officers assess a situation, they will determine whether to notify Environmental Health and Safety, the Eugene Police Department or FBI. If there is a risk of chemical or biological contaminants, such as anthrax, DPS will clear the area and shut off all vents, and EHS will be called in, according to EHS Director Kay Coots.
After working with law enforcement to ensure crime scene evidence is not damaged, EHS workers will enter the area, wearing any protective gear deemed necessary. In the case of anthrax, workers wear respirators and skin-and-eye coverings.
Coots and Saylor said much of their departments’ responses are formed on a case-by-case basis.
“A package that smells funny and doesn’t have a return address is a lot different than a normal envelope going to an international studies office that normally receives international mail,” Saylor said.