Monday, April 13, 2026
Basins, ponds at USPS sites must be maintained
Facility leaders should do routine inspections and carry out needed repairs
The Postal Service is reminding heads of USPS facilities that have stormwater basins or ponds to manage them in accordance with environmental regulations.
Stormwater basins are human-made depressions that collect runoff and control discharges.
Facility managers are responsible for routine preventive maintenance and inspections of the basins. This includes conducting routine visual inspections, completing necessary repairs and maintaining landscaping to ensure basins function properly.
Some basins may also require permits from local authorities.
If nonroutine repairs — including major structural support issues, alterations or upgrades — are necessary, contact the USPS facilities department through the Facilities Response Line, which can be found under the “Essential Links” section in the upper left corner of the Blue home page. You will need your ACE ID and password to log in.
The Stormwater Retention and Detention Basins maintenance management order has more information.
Employees with questions should contact their region’s USPS environmental specialist.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Heroes
She helped save two children from an apartment fire
This letter carrier saw smoke and alerted residents
Letter Carrier Luz Vasquez was delivering mail in Chicago recently when she saw smoke coming out of an upper window of an apartment building.
The Postal Service employee went into the building and began ringing doorbells and knocking on doors to alert the residents.
A neighbor called the fire department while Vasquez assisted a family by carrying two small children out of the building.
Before she could reenter the structure, she heard an explosion that shattered windows and sent flames shooting from the building, according to news reports.
The blaze killed a 19-year-old woman and injured a 45-year-old man. The cause of the fire has not been released.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered April 5-11
The Inspection Service is hiring and a trailblazing letter carrier made news
Think you’ve got what it takes to be a postal crime fighter? The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is opening its hiring portal for a brief window, as Link reported last week.
Speaking of fighting crime, we also told you about a recent workers’ comp fraud case solved with help of the USPS Office of Inspector General, and the importance of remaining vigilant against cyber vishing.
We told you about recommended price changes; the Combined Federal Campaign’s final tally of nearly $2 million; the release of the new Figures of the American Revolution stamps at a special interactive exhibit at the National Postal Museum; and the Lowriders stamps display at USPS headquarters.
We shared news of the April 30 retirement of Sharon Owens, pricing and costing vice president, and the “People” column highlighted the remarkable life of Evelyn Craig, part of the first group of women to be hired as letter carriers after the Civil Service Commission ended sex discrimination in 1963.
Finally, in “Heroes,” Luz Vasquez saw smoke coming from an apartment building while on her route. The Chicago letter carrier alerted residents and carried two small children to safety.
Before she could reenter, she heard an explosion that shattered windows and shot flames from the building. The ensuing fire killed a 19-year-old woman and injured a 45-year-old man.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
April 18, 2026
Datebook
Happy Birthday stamp ceremony
The Postal Service will dedicate its Happy Birthday stamp on Saturday, April 18, in Providence, RI.
The event will be held at 11 a.m. Eastern at Track 15 inside 1 Union Station.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP online.