Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Dog Bite Prevention Week: May 15-21
Ginger loves everybody (well maybe not the family bird, Gretzky). Ginger stands at full attention when she hears the letter carrier pulling into the driveway. Ginger's owner quickly scoops her up into her arms to let the carrier deliver without incident.Today's news reports are filled with stories of children, adults --- and even other animals --- who have been injured, or even killed, in vicious animal attacks. Every year, the U.S. Postal Service calls attention to, and continues its crusade against, what continues to be one of the nation's most commonly reported public health problems: dog attacks and dog bites. “National Dog Bite Prevention Week” is May 15-21 and is an opportunity to emphasize to the public that responsible pet ownership can prevent these disturbing attacks.
How to be a Responsible Pet Owner:
-- Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Don't play aggressive games, such as wrestling or tug of war. It's essential that your dog recognizes family members as dominant figures whose authority should not be challenged.
-- For everyone's safety, don't allow your dog to roam. Make your pet a member of your family. Dogs that haven't been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time, frequently turn into biters.
-- Stay on the safe side. Help your dog become accustomed to a variety of situations. If you don't know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If you think your dog could panic in a crowd, leave him or her at home. If your dog may overreact to visitors or delivery people, keep your pet in another room.
-- Spay or neuter your dog. Statistics from the Humane Society of the United States reflect that dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are up to three times more likely to be involved in a biting incident than neutered or spayed dogs.
-- Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Don't play aggressive games, such as wrestling or tug of war. It's essential that your dog recognizes family members as dominant figures whose authority should not be challenged.
-- For everyone's safety, don't allow your dog to roam. Make your pet a member of your family. Dogs that haven't been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time, frequently turn into biters.
-- Stay on the safe side. Help your dog become accustomed to a variety of situations. If you don't know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If you think your dog could panic in a crowd, leave him or her at home. If your dog may overreact to visitors or delivery people, keep your pet in another room.
-- Spay or neuter your dog. Statistics from the Humane Society of the United States reflect that dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are up to three times more likely to be involved in a biting incident than neutered or spayed dogs.
U S Postal Service Faces Financial Shortfall Unless Congress Addresses Mandates
Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe told a Senate subcommittee today that despite significant cost cutting and revenue generation, the Postal Service finds itself in dire financial straits. Statutorily mandated payments due to the government at the end of September will not be paid, he said, unless Congress acts to refund overpayments of pension funding or ease the mandate to prefund retiree health benefits.
Testifying before the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the PMG said that the financial condition of the Postal Service is such that in the absence of comprehensive legislation, there are required federal payments that are now in jeopardy. “As things stand, we do not have the cash to make a $5.5 billion prepayment for future retiree health benefits due Sept. 30,” he said.
He also alerted subcommittee members that the cash shortfall could extend to operational expenses. “Despite our significant role in the American economy and our aggressive cost cutting and revenue generating efforts, I regret to say we are in a serious financial predicament today,” he said.
For three years, the Postal Service has been asking Congress to alter the payment schedule of a mandate in a 2006 law that, unlike any other federal agency, requires the Postal Service to prefund retiree health benefits in amounts approximating $5.5 billion. In addition, the Postal Service has asked to gain access to $50 to $75 billion in overpayments it has made to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and a $6.9 billion it has overpaid to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
Since inception in 2006, the Postal Service has paid some $20.9 billion into the Retiree Health Benefit Trust Fund. Under current law, the Postal Service is scheduled to continue to make $5.5 to $5.8 billion in payments up to and including 2016.
With the right legislation, however, Donahoe told the subcommittee, the Postal Service can return to profitability and if given flexibility, “the Postal Service can continue to serve the American public very effectively and continue to sustain and propel American commerce.”
The subcommittee chairman, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), introduced legislation today that addresses the financial issues confronting the Postal Service and, among other things, allows a transition to a five-day delivery schedule, a move that could effect an annual saving of $3.1 billion.
In asking for urgent consideration of legislative action, Donahoe said that although the agency’s financial condition is dire, the Postal Service is nonetheless a strong and a vital part of the economy, but the continued burden of the retiree health benefit prefunding “continues to have a negative impact on our business.”
Testifying before the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the PMG said that the financial condition of the Postal Service is such that in the absence of comprehensive legislation, there are required federal payments that are now in jeopardy. “As things stand, we do not have the cash to make a $5.5 billion prepayment for future retiree health benefits due Sept. 30,” he said.
He also alerted subcommittee members that the cash shortfall could extend to operational expenses. “Despite our significant role in the American economy and our aggressive cost cutting and revenue generating efforts, I regret to say we are in a serious financial predicament today,” he said.
For three years, the Postal Service has been asking Congress to alter the payment schedule of a mandate in a 2006 law that, unlike any other federal agency, requires the Postal Service to prefund retiree health benefits in amounts approximating $5.5 billion. In addition, the Postal Service has asked to gain access to $50 to $75 billion in overpayments it has made to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and a $6.9 billion it has overpaid to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
Since inception in 2006, the Postal Service has paid some $20.9 billion into the Retiree Health Benefit Trust Fund. Under current law, the Postal Service is scheduled to continue to make $5.5 to $5.8 billion in payments up to and including 2016.
With the right legislation, however, Donahoe told the subcommittee, the Postal Service can return to profitability and if given flexibility, “the Postal Service can continue to serve the American public very effectively and continue to sustain and propel American commerce.”
The subcommittee chairman, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), introduced legislation today that addresses the financial issues confronting the Postal Service and, among other things, allows a transition to a five-day delivery schedule, a move that could effect an annual saving of $3.1 billion.
In asking for urgent consideration of legislative action, Donahoe said that although the agency’s financial condition is dire, the Postal Service is nonetheless a strong and a vital part of the economy, but the continued burden of the retiree health benefit prefunding “continues to have a negative impact on our business.”
Miami Drills Emergency Preparedness
The alarm sounded, and employees quickly evacuated the building. 
Postal Inspectors enter the plant to retrieve the BDS cartridge for testing. 
Postal Inspectors exit the building and immediately proceed to the decontamination shower unit. 
Local First Responders assist Postal Inspectors Larry Jacobs (foreground) and Kevin Henry (background). 
(L to R) Postal Inspectors Julio Santiago, Larry Jacobs, and Kevin Henry are trained Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPERs) Specialists.
(L to R) Postal Inspectors Julio Santiago, Larry Jacobs, and Kevin Henry are trained Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPERs) Specialists. The U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and local First Responders participated in an interagency Emergency Preparedness Drill at the Miami P&DC last week.
As with other federal agencies, the Postal Service utilizes the Incident Command System, a structure that defines the roles and responsibilities of the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Under the direction of Postal Inspector/Incident Commander Jeffrey Esser, the Miami P&DC EMT, including Plant Manager Rick Suarez and In Plant Support Manager John Howard, ensured the safe evacuation of all employees during the drill. Employees understood being prepared to respond to an emergency, including a simulated biohazard event.
In the wake of biological attacks in 2001, the Postal Service installed Biological Detection Systems (BDS) in cancellation operations at plants to safeguard its employees and the public. The BDS serves as an early warning system for the presence of any dangerous biological material, including anthrax. There have been over seven million tests conducted nationwide --- and not one positive or false positive result.
As Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPERs) Specialists, Postal Inspectors Kevin Henry, Larry Jacobs, and Julio Santiago suited up and entered the Miami P&DC to retrieve a BDS cartridge during the drill.
As with other federal agencies, the Postal Service utilizes the Incident Command System, a structure that defines the roles and responsibilities of the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Under the direction of Postal Inspector/Incident Commander Jeffrey Esser, the Miami P&DC EMT, including Plant Manager Rick Suarez and In Plant Support Manager John Howard, ensured the safe evacuation of all employees during the drill. Employees understood being prepared to respond to an emergency, including a simulated biohazard event.
In the wake of biological attacks in 2001, the Postal Service installed Biological Detection Systems (BDS) in cancellation operations at plants to safeguard its employees and the public. The BDS serves as an early warning system for the presence of any dangerous biological material, including anthrax. There have been over seven million tests conducted nationwide --- and not one positive or false positive result.
As Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPERs) Specialists, Postal Inspectors Kevin Henry, Larry Jacobs, and Julio Santiago suited up and entered the Miami P&DC to retrieve a BDS cartridge during the drill.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
USPS Launches Two Space Stamps
Yesterday the Postal Service dedicated two stamps commemorating two historic events — one that occurred a half century ago, and the second that’s making history now.The 50th anniversary of America’s first manned spaceflight and an unmanned spacecraft currently charting planet Mercury were commemorated today on two 44-cent First-Class Forever stamps. The dedication ceremony took place next to a seven-story replica of the rocket Alan Shepard piloted to become America’s first man in space. A second stamp celebrates the MESSENGER Mission spacecraft that is currently orbiting and charting planet Mercury.
“These two historic missions — Shepard’s Mercury flight that took place 50 years ago tomorrow, and MESSENGER’s current orbiting of Mercury — frame a remarkable 50-year span in which America has advanced space exploration through more than 1,500 manned and unmanned flights,” said Stephen Masse, U.S. Postal Service Vice President, Finance and Planning, in dedicating the stamps. “The Postal Service is proud to commemorate these achievements on stamps.”
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