Employees: Important Phone Numbers for Emergencies

1) Workplace announcements

There are many types of emergencies. But there’s only one source of information for work schedule and reporting time changes, facility openings and closings, and other workplace announcements due to an emergency.

To check your work schedule and/or status of your facility in an emergency (including before, during, and after a tropical storm or a hurricane), call the:

USPS National Employee Emergency Hot Line

888-363-7462

(Deaf/hard-of-hearing employees who are seeking the above workplace information should call the Federal  Relay Service at 800-877-8339.  Ask the operator to call the USPS National Employee Emergency Hot Line and then relay the information to you.)   

2. If you are forced to evacuate your home or city

In case of a natural disaster requiring you to leave your home, city, or state.…the Postal Service wants to know your temporary location to make sure you are safe.  Please report your location, physical condition, and contact information to the:           

USPS Emergency Notification Number

866-666-5349

Deaf/hard-of-hearing employees should call the Federal Relay Service and relay the above information to the operator who then may call this number with your personal information.

Hurricane Newsbreak for Employees

It only takes one hurricane to realize the importance of having current information in your eOPF (electronic Official Personnel File). Your manager/supervisor may need to contact you if a hurricane hits the North Florida District.

Click 'Read more' to obtain information on how you can update your Personnel File.

Recognizing Our Dedicated Employees

We would like to give a big congratulations to some of our most dedicated employees in the North Florida District. The following have received a visit from our District Manager along with a Service Award to commemorate working with the US Postal Service for over 40 Years!

• Al O'Neil, Pensacola FL - 45 Years
• David Williams, Brunswick GA - 45 Years
• Paul Oglesby, Brunswick GA - 40 Years
• Jimmy Thomas, Tallahassee FL - 40 Years

You can check out the presentation photos by clicking 'Read More'.

SSA Clerk Saves Customer from Scam

Thanks to the attentiveness of SSA Clerk, Beverly Robin in Vidalia, GA, a customer was saved from losing $27,000 from a scam.

On March 7, 2012, an elderly gentlemen entered the Vidalia Post Office and wanted to mail $9,000 cash by express mail to an address in Orlando, FL.  Sales Associate Beverly Robin felt that something was just not right and consulted with Postmaster Bill Warnock.  Mr. Warnock asked Ms. Robin to have the elderly man to come in his office.  Mr. Warnock told the gentlemen about the scams of elderly people and questioned him about this.  The elderly man said that this was nothing like that and he wanted to still send the cash thru the mail.  Mr. Warnock told him that he would only accept if for mailing as registered mail.  The gentleman agreed to send it registered.  Before leaving Mr. Warnock's office, the gentlemen told the Postmaster that he stood to receive a lot of money and would let the Postmaster how it turned out. 

Local USPS News Break - Hurricane Season

May 17, 2012

Are You Ready for the Season?

Hurricane season 2012 starts on June 1 and ends November 30.

Hurricanes are powerful storms that can create severe flooding, dangerous storm surges, high

winds, and tornadoes. The effects of these storms can be devastating to entire communities and

can have long-lasting consequences, including loss of life and property. History teaches that a

lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane

disasters. By knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the

effects of a hurricane disaster. It’s important to be familiar with the following terminology:

Hurricane: an intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined

surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher.

A hurricane warning issued for your part of the coast indicates that sustained winds of at

least 74 mph are expected within 36 hours or less. Once this warning has been issued, your

family should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location

to be during the storm.

A hurricane watch issued for your part of the coast indicates the possibility that you could

experience hurricane conditions within 48 hours. This watch should trigger your family's

disaster plan, and protective measures should be initiated, especially those actions that require

extra time such as securing a boat, leaving a barrier island, etc.

Tropical Storm: An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface

circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph.

Tropical Depression: An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface

circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less.

It is important that you have an Emergency Action Plan, create an Emergency Supply Kit, and

learn evacuation routes. More information on hurricane hazards, including details on how to

secure buildings and belongings, is available at www.hurricanes.gov/prepare and

www.ready.gov.

Hurricane Newsbreaks will continue to be issued … Stay tuned throughout the season.

2012 Tropical Storm/Hurricane Names:

Alberto. Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon,

Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar,

Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William.

PUBLISHED BY THE NORTH FLORIDA DISTRICT CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

USPS EAGLE SYMBOL AND LOGOTYPE ARE TRADEMARKS OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Employees in Hilliard, FL go above and beyond for customers!

Distribution Window Clerks Melony Collingwood and Daphne Guynn were closing up shop for the day when they found a money clip containing $400 in cash.  They realized it must have belonged to one of the last customers they served.  Both remembered a man purchasing some postcard stamps.  They went to the mail drop and found two postcards, both addressed to people in Auburn, AL.  There was no return address on either card but both were signed “Bill and Fran Dillard”.  One of the postcards mentioned Duke University and the money clip had a Duke Blue Devil on it so they knew they had the right customer.  However, to find them would take some investigative work.

Melony and Daphne, along with OIC Nathan King began searching online for Bill and Fran Dillard in Auburn, AL but could not find a working phone number for them.  They even called the people the postcards were addressed to hoping they could provide contact information for Bill and Fran.  Neither returned the call. 

Finally, in a last ditch effort, they sent a postcard to the only address they could find for a Bill and Fran Dillard explaining they found “something” they thought belonged to Bill.  OIC King received a phone call from Mr. Dillard.  He was “overwhelmed”, as he put it, that the money was found. 

Mr. Dillard wrote the letter below to Postmaster General Pat Donahoe expressing his appreciation for the honesty and integrity of Melony and Daphne.

EDDM Used to Reunite Family with Missing Dog

Robert and Deborah Ray, along with their three beloved dogs were headed home to Tampa, FL. 

They were traveling on I-75 through Ashburn, GA, when they were involved in a traffic accident.  Thankfully, there were no injuries, but they were all traumatized by the ordeal, especially the dogs. 

All three dogs escaped from the truck and took off running in different directions. 

The Rays were able to capture all of the dogs with the exception of Norma Jean, their small terrier mix.  They knew the direction she ran, but despite their efforts they couldn't find her. 

Remember, they were from Tampa, FL and as much as they hated it, they had to leave Norma Jean behind. 

The Rays heard about Every Door Direct Mail from Tangela, the Postal clerk in Ashburn. Tangela then contacted Plains, GA Postmaster Lori McDonough to assist the Rays with their mailing. 

They saturated the area in Ashburn, GA where Norma Jean was last seen.  They mailed 700 flyers and immediately began receiving calls from residents who had seen her. 

Although none of the responders had picked up Norma Jean, they were able to center in on a general area where she was spotted.  Ten days later, they drove back to Ashburn, GA to search the area and found Norma Jean. 

The Rays attributed Every Door Direct Mail for bringing their Norma Jean back home...great ending.

North Florida Newsmakers: Jacksonville PO

North Florida Newsmakers: First Test Post:

Jacksonville Post Office 100% WTIL in Quarter 2

Quarter 2 was a very successful period for the Jacksonville Post Office.

The 13 mystery shopped offices amazed their customers with service in less than five minutes for every shop.

"This was something I knew we could accomplish, with focus, attention to the basics and understanding and providing our customer needs," said Postmaster, Stephen R. Hardin.

Postmaster Hardin and his staff visited every office to express their appreciation with the results.