Assess the situation to confirm employee's report of suspicious mail.
Call University Police at 911.
Make certain immediate area has been evacuated.
Close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from
entering.
Leave the building and remain outside. Make certain all personnel
evacuated from the immediate area stay together outside until
the police arrive.
Make a list of all individuals who were in the immediate
area at the time and give it to the police.
Identify to police the individual who reported suspicious
mail and remain on the scene to assist in any way possible.
Characteristics of Suspicious Mail
Excessive postage
Excessive weight
Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
Incorrect titles
Title, but no name
Misspellings of common words
Oily stains, discoloration or odor
No return address
Lopsided or uneven envelope
Procedure if you open mail and powder spills out onto surface:
DO NOT try to CLEAN UP the powder. COVER the spilled contents
immediately with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and
do not remove this cover.
Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area
to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away). Limit your
contact with others.
WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any
powder to your face.
Report the incident to University Police at 911, and notify
your supervisor.
REMOVE heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible
and place in a plastic bag, or some other container that can
be sealed. This clothing bag should be given to the emergency
responders for proper handling.
SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible. Do
Not Use Bleach Or Other Disinfectant On Your Skin.
If possible, list all people who were in the room or
area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder.
Give this list to both the University police so that proper
instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to
law enforcement officials for further investigation.
UNH Inter-Departmental Mail Security
Keep all mailroom doors locked.
Make sure all mail drops are in secure areas.
Use of envelopes with holes is encouraged for all inter-campus mail.
Limit number of people handling the mail.
All inter-departmental mail should include a return address.
