GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING SUSPICIOUS MAIL AND PACKAGES
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SUSPICIOUS MAIL AND PACKAGES CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:
- No return address or one that can't be verified as legitimate
- Marked with restrictions, such as "Personal," "Confidential," or "Do not X-ray"
- Sealed with excessive tape
- Handwritten or poorly typed address,
- Incorrect titles or titles with no name or misspellings of common words
- Badly typed or written
- Oily stains, discolorations, or crystallization on wrapper
- Strange odor
- Rigid or bulky
- Lopsided or uneven
- Addressed to someone no longer here or not addressed to a specific person
ACTION STEPS:
- Isolate item immediately
- Handle with care - do not shake or bump
- Do not open, smell, or taste the powder
- Do not walk around with the letter or shake it
- Do not discard the letter or package
- Do not panic
WHOM TO NOTIFY:
Call Rob Leveille, Manager of Mail and Distribution Services at 413 545-2488. Note, if Rob Leveille is not available, call Jim DeRoy, Distribution Supervisor at 413 545-3313. If neither is available, call Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by dialing 413 545-2121 from an off campus or cell phone. Campus Police will contact the appropriate authorities. When emergency responders arrive, they will provide further instructions on what to do.
- Evacuate the area immediately
- Do not touch the suspected bomb. Do not move or open it.
- Lock the door
- Do not use cell phones. Do not use 2 way radios.
- Do not change environment around a suspect package. Example, if lights were on/off , leave them that way.
- If possible, open windows in the immediate area to assist in venting potential explosive gases.
- Do not put it in water or a confined space such as a desk drawer or filing cabinet.
- Call Rob Leveille, Manager of Mail and Distribution Services at 413 545-2488. Note, if Rob Leveille is not available, call Jim DeRoy, Distribution Supervisor at 413 545-3313. If neither is available, call Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by dialing 413 545-2121 from an off campus or cell phone. Campus Police will contact the appropriate authorities.
- When emergency responders arrive, they will provide further instructions on what to do.
If you suspect a radiological threat:
- Limit Exposure — Don’t Handle.
- Shield Yourself From Object.
- Evacuate the immediate area.
- Call Rob Leveille, Manager of Mail and Distribution Services at 413 545-2488. Note, if Rob Leveille is not available, call Jim DeRoy, Distribution Supervisor at 413 545-3313. If neither is available, call Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by dialing 413 545-2121 from an off campus or cell phone. Campus Police will contact the appropriate authorities.
- When emergency responders arrive, they will provide further instructions on what to do.
If you suspect a biological or chemical threat:
- Isolate the damaged or suspicious packages.
- Evacuate the immediate area.
- Call Rob Leveille, Manager of Mail and Distribution Services at 413 545-2488. Note, if Rob Leveille is not available, call Jim DeRoy, Distribution Supervisor at 413 545-3313. If neither is available, call Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by dialing 413 545-2121 from an off campus or cell phone. Campus Police will contact the appropriate authorities.
- Ensure that all persons who have touched the mail piece wash their hands with soap and water.
- List all persons who have touched the letter and/or envelope. Include contact information and have this information available for the authorities. Provide the list to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
- Place all items worn when in contact with the suspected mail piece in plastic bags and have them available for law enforcement agents.
- Shower with soap and water as soon as practical.
- When emergency responders arrive, they will provide further instructions on what to do.
If you suspect a written threat:
- Call Rob Leveille, Manager of Mail and Distribution Services at 413 545-2488. Note, if Rob Leveille is not available, call Jim DeRoy, Distribution Supervisor at 413 545-3313. If neither is available, call Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by dialing 413 545-2121 from an off campus or cell phone. Campus Police will contact the appropriate authorities.
- Stay calm
- Save and secure everything involved with the letter including the envelope, the letter itself and other contents.
- Written threats should be treated as criminal evidence - do not pass the letter around to others
- When emergency responders arrive, they will provide further instructions on what to do.