Palm Beach Gardens Carrier Retires

Palm Beach Gardens Letter Carrier Peggy Brandy (right) is retiring with 29 years of service. "I'm very excited about retiring and moving to North Carolina," said Brandy. West Palm Beach Postmaster Robert Weiser (left) presented Brandy with her Retirement Certificate during a celebration with her co-workers. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders 

Praise for Pahokee PO

On May 23, in recognition of outstanding service to the community, Pahokee Mayor Keith W. Babb, Jr. (second from left) presented a "Business of the Month" certificate to the Pahokee Post Office. To the Mayor's left is Commissioner Clara Murvin, and to his right, Pahokee Postmaster Donna Chavis-White, Commissioner Felisia C. Hill, and City Manager Chandler F. Williamson.

Customer Praises Southside SSA

Fort Lauderdale Customer Stevie Anderson (left) was pleased with the outstanding service provided by Southside Station Sales and Services Associate Verna Jones (right). “I wasn’t sure how I should mail my items, and Verna was so helpful and provided me with everything I needed to mail my package,” Anderson said. Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Kelly Worthman

Recognizing Lake Worth Employees

 

On behalf of Lake Worth, FL, employees, Officer In Charge Lori Giordano (left) accepted recognition from Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. Assistant to the Director Jeanelle Knecht (right). This non-profit organization sends monthly care packages via Priority Mail to military personnel who are stationed overseas. The organization wanted to show its appreciation to the employees who accept, process and dispatch the mail from the Lake Worth, FL, Post Office. “We love the flat-rate boxes and the ‘if it fits, it ships’ slogan,” said Knecht. “We make it fit!”

 

 

The plaque reads: “To honor and thank the U.S. Postal Service, Lake Worth, Florida. In Appreciation for your Outstanding Support of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach and Those We Serve.” 

Photos: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

Hurricane Season Starts Today!

 

Today is the official start of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

The South Florida District Emergency Management Team (EMT) is prepared to weather any storm. Under the leadership of District Manager Jeffery A. Taylor and Emergency Manager Michael Vecchitto, the EMT includes postal officials and Postal Inspectors. On May 5 at the District Office, National Preparedness Specialist Teresa Parrett facilitated a hurricane preparedness tabletop exercise to ensure that each team member understood their roles in an emergency.

Just as you have an Emergency Action Plan to protect your family and secure your property, the EMT has a multitude of tasks assigned in the Integrated Emergency Management Plan (IEMP) and its Hurricane Guide which outlines specific preparedness, response, and recovery actions as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The mission of the EMT is to ensure your safety and well-being as the Postal Service restores operations and service as quickly as possible following a tropical storm or a hurricane.

During an emergency such as a tropical storm or a hurricane, the EMT relies on the Postal Alert Notification System (PANS), a web-based and wireless communications mechanism, to coordinate tasks and record actions taken before, during, and after a weather event. Throughout the season (June 1 – November 30), EMT members monitor National Hurricane Center (NHC) advisories 24/7. Based on these weather forecasts, the team communicates through meetings and teleconferences to make operational decisions. This information is then messaged on the National Employee Emergency Hotline.

The National Employee Emergency Hotline (1-888-EMERGNC or 1-888-363-7462) is the official source of information for weather issues, work schedule changes, and facility status. Remember to enter the first three digits of the ZIP Code of your workplace location.

Also, if you evacuate and relocate due to an emergency, call the hotline number, and then press “5” after entering your facility ZIP Code. You will be routed to an individual who can take your information and relay it to District and Area leadership. Your safety and well-being are their priorities.

If you use Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), call a Florida TRS toll-free number, and the TRS operator will interact with the hotline application on your behalf. Through the use of highly-trained operators, calls can be made 24/7, 365 days a year allowing Florida residents who are in need of services to connect and communicate with anyone at any time.

The simplest way to access the variety of Florida Relay services available is to dial 7-1-1. If the phone from which you are calling does not accept 7-1-1 calls, TRS has a list of dedicated toll-free numbers for each call-type that you can utilize. Please refer to the below chart.  

TTY	800-955-8771	If you are using TTY equipment
Voice	800-955-8770	If you are a standard (voice) user, and are trying to connect with a Relay user
ASCII	800-955-1339	If you are utilizing a computer
Voice Carry Over (VCO)	877-955-8260	If you prefer to speak directly to the hearing person. When the hearing person speaks   to you, the Relay Operator listens and types everything said to your TTY or VCO phone
Speech to Speech (STS)	877-955-5334	If you have a speech disability and would prefer to have a specially-trained Relay Operator serve as your voice and repeat your responses to the called party

Plantation SSA Retires with 32 Years

Plantation Branch Supervisor, Customer Services Vanessa Cooper (left) presented Sales and Services Associate James Tate (right) with his Retirement Certificate for 32 years of service.

“I will be enjoying my time with my son, teaching him how to drive, and doing community service and enjoying my music,” said Tate. “It has been really great working for the Postal Service.”

Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Kelly Worthman

Railroad History is Back on Track

The New York and Washington Railway Post Office (RPO) crew gathers on a train before departing on its final run. These clerks worked in two adjacent 60-foot RPO cars. The final trip was June 30, 1977.

USPS stopped sorting mail aboard trains in 1977, but one Railway Post Office (RPO) made an encore run this month.

To commemorate the final run of the last RPO, the Minnesota Transportation Museum transported mail in a train car that once served as a Railway Post Office.

Northern Pacific No. 1102 was built in 1914, and during its heyday transported postal employees and U.S. Mail.
The car returned to its former postal glory May 6.

“Railroad systems helped shaped communities, and we want to show how these communities remain interconnected,” said Andrew Tighe, who handles transportation projects for the museum and came up with the idea to showcase the RPO.

Northern Pacific No. 1102 was displayed at the St. Paul Union Depot as part of a National Train Day celebration before being loaded with mail and beginning its journey to Osceola, WI.

After the mail train arrived at its destination, postal employees transported the mail to the Osceola Post Office.

In addition to helping the museum raise funds, Tighe wanted the re-enactment
to offer a sense of nostalgia.

“We live in an era of where everything is immediate,” he said. “We want to bring back the anticipation of waiting to receive mail.”

Source: LINK