West Columbia SC – On Tuesday, September 10, 2013, the U. S. Postal Service conducted an exercise to test its responsiveness to a positive Biohazard Detection System (BDS) alert at the Columbia Processing and Distribution Center located at 2001 Dixiana Rd. This test is part of Homeland Security response, and not the result of any perceived threat to the mail system. Postal regulations require such facilities to conduct a simulated BDS alert on an annual basis.
The exercise took place between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and required a complete evacuation of the building. Access to the building was restricted for about 30 minutes, during the exercise, and re-opened afterward. There was minimal impact to our customers and service during this exercise.
Local agencies which joined the Postal Service for this exercise included: City of Cayce Public Safety Fire and Police Departments, Lexington County First Responders, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Public Health Preparedness District. These agencies, organizations, and departments have established emergency management plans and respond according to their policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Controllers directed the exercise to ensure a realistic scenario, requiring simulation of events to compensate for events which may potentially happen in a real emergency. The Postal Service is committed to being prepared in the event of an actual positive BDS alert. Since the deployment of the BDS in all 321* Postal plants nationwide in 2006, there have been no positive alerts for the presence of anthrax. (*current number) The exercise enabled personnel to assess the effectiveness of emergency response training for participating agencies and the Postal Service.
FAQ: What is the USPS® Biohazard Detection System?
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