Fires, Flooding, and Finances

Employees contended with fires and flooding last week as harsh conditions affected the Northeast and South Central segments of the nation.

In Central Texas, wildfires along the I-35 corridor affected Rio Grande District Postal operations, especially east of Austin in Bastrop County, where nearly 1,400 homes and tens of thousands of acres of drought-parched land were destroyed.

Mail delivery services were suspended, and the Postal Service advised customers to receive mail at their local Post Offices.

Bastrop Post Office employees added 300 P.O. Boxes to accommodate local residents whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged by fire. An additional 700 boxes were available if needed.

No Postal facilities in the Rio Grande District have been damaged by the wildfires. But at least 14 Rio Grande District employees lost their homes, and the homes of several other employees were damaged. No employees were injured.

Meanwhile, steady rain seriously impacted service in parts of New York and Pennsylvania. In Binghamton, NY, the Surface Transfer Center was closed while mail was redirected to alternate surface transfer sites. By Thursday, flooding threatened many area of Northeast Pennsylvania, including Wilkes-Barre where a state of emergency was declared.

Hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, and fires cause more than physical damage — they disrupt the lives of everyone affected by them. That’s one of the reasons the USPS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available. To help employees and family members cope with life-changing situations like the ones brought on by Mother Nature. For information or assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 800-EAP-4-YOU, (800-327-4968). TTY assistance is available at 877-492-7341. The EAP website is: eap4you.com.

The Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF) offers assistance to active and retired employees affected by natural disasters. Employees or retirees who are victims of a natural disaster and have experienced a significant monetary loss after insurance and other relief assistance should review PERF eligibility criteria and mail a completed application with supporting documentation to Postal Employees’ Relief Fund, PO Box 7630, Woodbridge VA 22195-7630.

You can always contribute to PERF at postalrelief.com by clicking the “Donate Now” button online and using your credit card, or sending a check or money order payable to PERF, PO Box 34422, Washington DC 20043-4422. Or you can donate to PERF through the upcoming Combined Federal Campaign.