USPS employees from the Altadena, CA, Post Office recently marked the one-year anniversary since their workplace and routes were ravaged by Southern California’s wildfires.
Their response, mission and resilience continue to contribute to the Postal Service’s emergency playbook. Altadena was one of six Post Offices that closed because of the disaster.
On the morning of Jan. 7, 2025, a fire started in a nearby canyon and swept through Altadena. The blaze killed at least 19 people and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings, including the Altadena Post Office. It was the fifth most deadly and second most destructive fire in California history.
However, Altadena postal employees showed up to work the next day. They reported to the Pasadena, CA, Post Office as supervisors developed a plan to reroute mail.
“Everyone was all-hands-on-deck,” said Israel Coleman, Altadena’s customer services supervisor, who explained that the letter carriers and clerks were “the heavy lifters of the effort. They were the backbone for Altadena.”
Leticia Thornton, Pasadena’s computerized forwarding services manager, worked with California 4 District leadership to integrate the Altadena team into the Pasadena Post Office.
“They just lost their Post Office,” she said. “I took it upon myself to make them feel welcome. I wanted them to feel like they were coming into their office, not our office.”
During the weeks following the wildfires, the Pasadena Post Office would serve more than 4,000 customers a day as most sought change-of-address forms and their mail.
Altadena’s response further served as a natural disaster template when Typhoon Halong devastated the Alaska villages of Kwigillingok and Kipnuk last October.
As the Altadena community rebuilds, customers have expressed their gratitude to employees.
“When our customers see us driving up just for them, it brings a sense of normalcy,” Altadena Letter Carrier Heather Gonzalez said. “It makes them feel like they’re not abandoned.”
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