Friday, August 29, 2025
History
A heroic effort to keep the mail moving
When Hurricane Katrina struck 20 years ago, USPS employees rose to the occasion
On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, prompting a Herculean effort from the Postal Service to keep the mail moving.
Described as possibly the worst natural disaster to hit the United States, the images of Katrina’s devastation shocked the world.
Four levees in New Orleans were breached after the storm, culminating in floodwaters of 15 to 20 feet covering 80 percent of the city. The storm killed more than 1,800 people, displaced approximately 1.2 million residents from the Gulf Coast, and separated 5,000 children from their families. Damage estimates exceeded $100 billion.
It also created unprecedented delivery challenges for the Postal Service.
Power outages, closed roads, widespread flooding, damaged infrastructure and other obstacles made it difficult to reach customers — and many employees — in the areas hit hardest by the storm.
However, Katrina had far-reaching effects beyond the Gulf Coast as evacuees were scattered across the country, living temporarily with relatives and friends or in hotels.
Many of the 6,000 Postal Service employees in the area suffered personal losses but still rose to the occasion, restoring limited mail service within days of the tragedy.
Other displaced employees reported for work near their temporary addresses to help deliver payroll and Social Security checks, medicine and other vital mail. In communities where street delivery wasn’t possible, employees handed out mail from trailers, recreational vehicles and tents.
While there was widespread criticism of the federal government’s response, the Postal Service was singled out for its effective emergency preparedness and response to the storm.
The Postal Service had the mail up and running before basic services like electricity and water were restored. Displaced postal customers were able to receive mail at their new locations after filing a change-of-address form either online or at their local Post Office.
The 20th anniversary is a reminder for residents of hurricane-prone areas to prepare for storms.
The National Hurricane Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Ready America have more information about preparing for a hurricane.
The “History” column appears occasionally in Link.
People
The picture of public service
Teen artists salute USPS employees, a new postmaster forges history and students join a postal safety demo
A collaborative youth mural series unveiled recently at Philadelphia City Hall includes a colorful tribute to USPS employees.
The mural depicts a narrow shop-lined street with an LLV at the end and the message, “In snow, rain or delay, the Postal Service finds their way.”
The series focuses on the people who keep the city running and was a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Career Connected Learning summer program.
At the start of the project, Paul Smith, a USPS communications specialist, spoke to the young artists, who ranged in age from 14 to 18, on the Postal Service’s history.
One student told Smith, “I never had a bad interaction with anyone in the Postal Service. They do their job!”
“We’re focusing on the Philly aspect of it but it’s so much larger than that,” said Tim Haigh, a Mural Arts teaching artist. “The Postal Service is like the connective tissue for the fabric of society.”
A first
Charleston, SC, recently welcomed its first female postmaster: Shannon Verastequi, who took the oath during a special ceremony.
“It’s truly an honor I never expected to be forging history here,” said Verastequi, a 20-year USPS veteran who previously served as a Post Office operations manager.
Driving home safety
Local students recently put a spotlight on driver’s safety during a demonstration with Postal Service employees in Ellensburg, WA, a city of about 20,000 residents.
Wearing orange T-shirts, the students played the role of traffic cones, lining up single file behind an LLV.
Employees reported that only four of the 17 children furthest from the LLV could be seen in the mirrors from the driver’s seat.
“This visual really drives home the importance of safe driving,” said Scott Christiansen, the local postmaster. “We as leaders in the Postal Service must drive home safety and service with our teams.”
“People” appears regularly in Link. Got news to share? Email us.
News Quiz
Moonlighting and the mail
How much do you know about USPS rules governing second jobs?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. True or false: A Postal Service employee can receive compensation from an outside source for teaching, speaking or writing that is related to their official USPS duties.
a) True
b) False
2. How many people are on the U.S. waiting list to receive a donated kidney?
a) 45,000
b) 70,000
c) 85,000
d) 100,000
3. What did Belt, MT, Rural Carrier Associate Joseph Visocan do after he encountered a customer lying on the ground outside her garage?
a) He called the customer’s children to come tend to her.
b) He drove the customer to a nearby hospital.
c) He performed CPR on the customer.
d) He sent a text to the local volunteer fire department asking for help.
4. What is the main challenge for Christian Santiago, a USPS driving safety instructor in Queens, NY?
a) Teaching his students to break their bad driving habits
b) Getting his students to listen
c) Overcoming a lack of consistent effort by his students
d) Dealing with traffic in big cities
5. What is the name of the 1923 vessel that inspired the Postal Service’s Schooner stamped card?
a) Columbia
b) Intrepid
c) Monterey
d) Resolute
Answers: 1) b. 2) d. 3) a. 4) a. 5) a.
Mail
Bringing history to light
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History
A heroic effort to keep the mail moving
When Hurricane Katrina struck 20 years ago, USPS employees rose to the occasion
-
People
The picture of public service
Teen artists salute USPS employees, a new postmaster forges history and students join a postal safety demo
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News Quiz
Moonlighting and the mail
How much do you know about USPS rules governing second jobs?
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Mail
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