HAMPDEN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — If a suspicious package shows up at the United States Postal Service facility on Penobscot Meadow Drive in Hampden, there is a disaster plan ready to be put into effect.
Making sure that everything is done by the book can save lives, which is why the postal service hosted a disaster drill at the Hampden distribution center. The facility handles mail for all of eastern Maine, so employees need to be prepared for the worst.
The United States Postal Service in Hampden had an emergency drill, so first responders and employees know how to react if a suspicious package is present.
A drill held on Tuesday was a practice run for law enforcement and employees on how to respond to a suspicious package. The training lesson was geared towards knowing how to react to potentially dangerous situations. The exercise included an evacuation of the facility, arrival of emergency vehicles, and decontamination activities.
Some of the employees volunteered for the drill and went through the decontamination process themselves. This exercise was designed to help evaluate the response of all responders and employees.