Local postal workers
prepare for unthinkable

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

Postal carriers plan to head to work on their day off this Sunday to make a special delivery to residents in the 19149 ZIP code.
The workers will dispense empty boxes of medication as part of an exercise to test the city’s emergency preparedness should a bio-terrorist attack occur.
Residents heard about the event at the June 12 meeting of the 2nd Police District Advisory Council.
"We will be giving you all of the information that you need," said Sgt. Richard Turzanski of the Philadelphia Police Department’s counterterrorism bureau.
Officials plan to release more details at a news conference on Friday.
The U.S. Department of Health and U.S. Postal Service are evaluating the effectiveness of the postal carrier distribution method in supplementing other means of handling a bio-terrorist attack.
Seattle is the only other city that has held a similar test. The Philadelphia Police Department and Department of Health are handling the experiment here.
About 50 pairs of postal workers and police officers will cover three ZIP codes that day to distribute an informational flier and an empty cardboard box to residents.
Residents do not need to do anything with the items, Turzanski said.
Residents in ZIP codes 19144 and 19130 are also part of the exercise. Turzanski said the three areas were chosen because of their socioeconomic and ethic diversity and the different types of dwellings — from high rises to row homes — that they contain.
Those residents who do not receive deliveries can go to one of 40 locations within the three areas to pick up a package.
If a real outbreak were to occur, local police would contact the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), which would then notify Gov. Ed Rendell, who would contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Turzanski said. The CDC would dispense the first round of medication within 12 hours, and residents would be told to "shelter in place" and not leave their homes.
Two types of medication are distributed in case an individual is allergic to one of them, Turzanski said.
Turzanski also told residents with concerns of terrorism to contact his unit, and he lauded the efforts of citizens who notified police of the foiled terrorist plot at Fort Dix that allegedly involved a Northeast resident.
"It was a simple thing," Turzanski said. "A kid working in a store saw something that wasn’t right. If you see something wrong, let us know."
Residents can visit www.readyphiladelphia.org or call 1-877-READY-11 for more information.
In other news from the June 12 meeting:
• The group heard from Officer Tanya Richardson of the neighborhood services unit. The unit handles abandoned vehicles and other property maintenance complaints. The group can be reached at 215-685-9500 or 9503.
• The group also heard from Yvette Davis, a collection supervisor at the Johnson-UGO Foundation Library located at St. Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church in Mayfair.
The library, opened in September 2006, is one of 325 cooperating collections operated nationwide by the foundation center, which was founded in 1956. The center supplies information on philanthropy and also maintains a database of grantmakers. The library also holds workshops on topics related to fund-raising, such as grant writing.
The Johnson-UGO is located in the church’s education building, at 3117 Longshore Ave., and can be reached at 215-338-5020.
• The group introduced Lt. Lisa Harner, who is taking over the 5 Platoon in the 2nd district, and Andrew Carobus, who is replacing Stefanie Cella (Karp) as the Public Nuisance Task Force liaison to the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 15th districts. The unit is run through the District Attorney’s office.
• The 2nd PDAC honored its officers of the month for May.
Officers Dominic Johnson and Jeffrey Robinson were recognized for the May 18 arrest of two suspects wanted for several residential burglaries. The suspects later confessed to more than 20 incidents.
• The group will hold its community day and bike race this Saturday at 9 a.m. at Roosevelt Mall in conjunction with a sidewalk sale.
Attractions include information tables, S.A.V.E. registration, performances, activities for children and maybe some appearances from professional sports teams’ mascots. ••
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com