Return to Campus Response Page
Go to UNS Home Page
Go to UI Home Page
Oct. 29, 2001
UI Issues Revised Guidelines For Handling Suspicious Mail
Following is the text of a memo issued Oct. 26, 2001 to University of Iowa
deans, directors and departmental executive officers by Charles Green, director
of the UI Department of Public Safety; James Walker, director, of the Health
Protection Office; and David Skorton, interim vice president for external relations:
Since we last communicated with you about precautions for handling suspicious
mail, we have been working to update that information. The information in this
communication includes some of the precautions we’ve shared previously,
but it also includes new information on procedures for handling suspicious mail.
This memo and the procedures are to be shared with your staff, especially those
who open mail and packages, as soon as possible. Just as important, to the extent
possible, we ask you to speak directly to your staff members about this issue.
We will continue to share additional information and suggestions. Thanks for
your help in sharing this and future communications widely with your staff.
If you have questions, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 5-5022.
What procedures should I use for routine handling of mail?
- Take all incoming mail to a room that is out of traffic and that has a door.
- Use Postal Service, Department of Public Health and FBI criteria (see list
below) to evaluate each piece of mail before opening or redistribution. These
criteria, listed below, should be printed and posted where mail/packages are
opened.
What questions should I ask before I open the mail?
- Is this a reasonable piece of mail for me to expect?
- Does the address accurately reflect the name and address of the addressee?
- Do I know the sender?
- Can I consider this junk mail and discard?
- Do I really need to open this piece of mail?
- Evaluate before you open mail!
What should I do if I receive suspicious mail?
Do not open
- Do not handle more than necessary
- If possible, obtain the following information:
- A complete description of the mail in question.
- Return address
- Postmark and date
- Addressee
- Description — approximate size, color, and material
(i.e. regular business envelope, brown paper wrapping, cardboard box,
etc.)
- Isolate the mail piece
- Notify individuals in the immediate area and call
University Public Safety Office or UIHC Safety & Security (see below).
- If mail is opened and contains a threat or unexpected
substance
- Isolate the mail piece, vacate and secure the room
or area if possible
- Notify individuals in the immediate
area and move to a close by secure room. Avoid spreading possible contamination
within the building.
- If a sink is available in the
immediate area, wash exposed skin with soap and warm water
- Notify University Public Safety
Office at (33)5-5022, or at UIHC call Safety & Security at (35)6-2658.
- Be prepared to provide the following
information:
- Your name, location, phone number
- Why do you consider the mail suspicious?
(See list below)
- A complete description of the
mail in question (See above)
What will UI Public Safety officers do to process threat
information?
- Using the official FBI screening criteria, determine
if the threat is valid or not. If Public Safety determines that there is not
a threat, the item will not be picked up.
- If warranted, Public Safety will respond to the location
of the suspicious mail and evaluate further and secure the area if necessary.
- Public Safety will then assist in determining if additional
assessment is needed.
- If the package has to be removed for further evaluation,
it will be destroyed as part of this process.
What general precautions should I take when opening mail?
- Be observant for suspicious envelopes or packages.
- Open mail with a letter opener, or method least likely
to spread contents.
- Open packages/envelopes with a minimum amount of movement.
- Do not blow into envelopes.
- Do not shake and/or pour out contents.
- Keep hands away from nose and mouth while opening mail.
- Wash hands after handling mail.
Criteria For Profiling Suspicious Packages *
- Protruding wires, stains, or odors.
- Powdery substance on the outside.
- Strange odors or stains.
- Postmark city or state does not match return address.
- Insufficient postage or excessive postage.
- Foreign mail, air mail, and special delivery.
- Unfamiliar packaging.
- Unusual weight for size of package.
- Excessive masking tape, string, twine, etc.
- Poor or incomplete packaging.
- Unusual weight, given its side, oddly shaped, or lop-sided.
- Packages marked "Personal" or "Confidential."
- No returned address.
- Wrong, outdated, or misspelled address.
- Addressed to individual(s) no longer at the work address.
- Misspellings of common words.
- Hand-written, incomplete or poorly typed addresses.
- Incorrect titles, or titles but no names.
*Criteria established by the US Postal Service, Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Where can I obtain additional information?
The following Web sites provide more specific information
on the topics listed:
http://www.usps.gov/news/2001/press/pr01_1010tips.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel01/suspiciousmail.pdf
http://www.osha.gov/bioterrorism/pkghandling.html
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Anthrax/Anthrax.asp
http://www.uihealthcare.com/news/news/2001/10/22anthrax.html
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/anthrax.html
http://www.idph.state.ia.us/terrorism/default.htm
http://www.bt.cdc.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4904a1.htm