VANDERBURGH CO., IN (WFIE) -
U.S. Postal workers were evacuated from the mail processing and distribution facility in Evansville on Wednesday. But, don't be alarmed, it was all part of a drill to keep employees and the public safe.
Every day an estimated million pieces of mail goes through the facility, and emergency crews practiced what to do if a suspicious package made its way into the center.
It looked almost like a movie Wednesday as crews practiced a drill they hope to never have to use.
"We're testing our biohazard system response to simulate what would happen if a suspicious package would happen it get into the packaging facility," said David Walton with the USPS.
The center was evacuated after officials activated a biohazard alarm warning of a threat like anthrax.
"The facility has sensing equipment that's able to detect any type of biohazard that comes through," said Dwayne Caldwell with the Vanderburgh County Health Department.
Seven volunteers were cleaned in a special decontamination tent before being sent to the health department for medicine.
The hazmat team and local authorities allowed us to get a lot closer than in a real event.
"If there was an actual threat, this facility would be closed for 72 hours mail would be diverted to other facilities. If there was a real live event, the health department all of the involved agencies they would be notified the public would be made aware of it," Walton said.
Lucky, we haven't had a real emergency like this in Evansville in a number of years, but officials say they like to put the stamp on safety.
"Without the practice, we'd be out there and just not knowing what was going on and how to do things. When we're able to practice like this, it protects the citizens and surrounding communities," said Ray Goff with the EFD.
160 employees work at the facility. Officials with the postal service say they've been mandated to do these drills ever since the anthrax attacks in 2001.
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