The Postal Service is responding to Hurricane Florence, which is bringing torrential rain, damaging winds and life-threatening storm surges to the Southeast.
To protect employees and the public, USPS has suspended mail delivery and retail operations at several Post Offices in coastal areas, including parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and other affected states.
“Our top priority is the safety of our employees and customers. We’ll make every possible delivery — but only where it’s safe and reasonable to do so,” said Linda Malone, vice president of Capital Metro Area, which includes the region in the storm’s path.
The Postal Service began preparing last week for Florence, the first major hurricane of the season. In addition to providing employees with emergency guidelines, USPS has advised customers of potential service disruptions.
The organization’s preparations were a joint effort with the postal labor unions and management associations. “We’re all working together during this challenging time,” Malone said.
Employees affected by the storm should call the USPS national emergency hotline at 888-363-7462 to report their condition and check for changes in their scheduled work reporting status.
The Postal Employees’ Relief Fund and Employee Assistance Program are available to help affected employees.
Customers who have questions about mail delivery should check the USPS Service Alerts site for updates. The Postal Service is also posting updates on social media and distributing news releases with information for customers.