Some Post Offices in 779 and 783 ZIP code areas will close due to Ike

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — U.S. Postal Service employees in facilities along the Texas Gulf Coast and elsewhere will be working behind the scenes, around-the-clock to secure the mail, postal facilities and equipment in advance of the potential arrival of Hurricane Ike.

The Postal Service is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Ike by advising customers that normal service operations for some Postal facilities in the 779 and 783 ZIP code areas where mandatory evacuations have been declared will close today by 6 p.m. and remain closed throughout the weekend in anticipation of unsafe conditions such as high winds, flooding, or impassable roads. According to Manny Arguello, District Manager for the Rio Grande District, “The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as its top priority. Postal facilities closed during the storm will reopen Monday once the safety of our customers and employees, and security of facilities and the mail has been ensured.”

The following offices will be closed throughout the weekend and open on Monday:

Aransas County - Rockport, Fulton

Calhoun County - Point Comfort, Port Lavaca, Port O'Connor, Seadrift.

Jackson County - Edna, Francitas, Ganado, La Ward, LaSalle, Lolita, Vanderbilt.

Victoria County - Bloomington, Inez, McFaddin, Nursery, Placedo, Telferner, Victoria (all three Post Offices).

Refugio County - Austwell, Bayside, Tivoli

Other Post Offices in the 779, 783 and 784 ZIP code areas, depending on local conditions, may temporarily close their lobbies, including those normally open 24 hours, as the storm makes landfall. Those closed Post Office lobbies will reopen once the pending storm has passed, and the security of employees, facilities, and the mail has been ensured.

If roads become impassable or unsafe for travel following the storm, mail delivery services may be curtailed, and mail collection schedules from mail collection boxes in areas affected by the storm could be suspended until normal conditions are restored.

Customer service operations in any area covered by a mandatory evacuation order will be temporarily suspended, including mail processing, mail delivery, scheduled collection of mail from mail collection boxes, bulk mail acceptance, post office box service and retail post office lobby services. Drop shipment appointments will also be suspended at closed facilities.

For the latest information on USPS service updates, check: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm

Postal Service employees in the Texas Gulf Coast area are being advised to check for changes to their scheduled work reporting status by contacting the USPS National Emergency Notification Hotline to determine if any special instructions have been issued. The toll-free USPS National Emergency Notification Hotline for U.S. Postal Service employees is: 1-888-363-7462.

Customers can call the Postal Service's toll-free number 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777) or the TTY number 877-TTY-2HLP (877-889-2457) for help with any postal questions they may have.

Additional information regarding postal operations within specific ZIP Code areas affected by Hurricane Ike will be issued by the U.S. Postal Service as necessary.