Loyola University Chicago

Emergency Response Plan

Suspicious Mail

The Mailroom personnel follow the U S Postal Service guidelines with regard to handling mail. If a suspicious package or envelope is spotted in the mailroom by the mailroom personnel, the item is isolated and Public Safety is notified at 4-4911.

It is possible that a suspicious piece of mail or a package may be delivered directly to a department by a delivery service, or slip past Mailroom inspection.

Some typical characteristics which ought to trigger suspicion include letters or parcels that:

  • Have any powdery substance on the outside.
  • Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you.
  • Have excessive postage, handwritten or poorly typed address, incorrect titles or titles with no name, or misspellings of common words.
  • Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are otherwise outdated.
  • Have no return address, or have one that can't be verified as legitimate.
  • Are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped.
  • Have an unusual amount of tape.
  • Are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as "Personal" or "Confidential."
  • Have strange odors or stains.

Emergency Actions - When a package is suspected of being explosive:

  1. DO NOT TOUCH, MOVE OR DISTURB IT.
  2. Call 4-4911 immediately, then notify your supervisor.
  3. Keep people away from the area until help arrives.

Public Safety:

  1. Dispatch all available Public Safety Security Officers and Facilities staff to the scene.
  2. Notify Chicago Police.
  3. Notify appropriate University officials as outlined in the basic plan.
  4. Conduct search and/or evacuation procedures.

Emergency Actions - When a biological threat (i.e. Anthrax) is suspected:

  1. Call 4-4911 immediately, then notify your supervisor.
  2. Keep people away from the area until help arrives.
  3. Do not handle the mail piece or package suspected of contamination.
  4. Make sure that damaged or suspicious packages are isolated and the immediate area cordoned off.
  5. Ensure that all persons who have touched the mail piece wash their hands with soap and water.
  6. List all persons who have touched the letter and/or envelope. Include contact information and have this information available for the authorities.
  7. Place all items worn when in contact with the suspected mail piece in plastic bags and have them available for law enforcement agents.
  8. As soon as practical, shower with soap and water.

Public Safety:

  1. Dispatch all available Public Safety Security Officers and Facilities staff to the scene.
  2. Notify Chicago Police.
  3. Notify appropriate University officials as outlined in the basic plan.
  4. Conduct search and/or evacuation procedures.
  5. Notify the Center for Disease Control Emergency Response at 770-488-7100 for answers to any questions.

Additional information is available on the Postal Service's official website at www.usps.com