Pallone’s office gets suspicious package Congressman’s staff joins growing list of those to report questionable mail

Pallone’s office gets suspicious package
Congressman’s staff joins growing list of those to report questionable mail

LONG BRANCH — Congressman Frank Pallone’s office joined the growing list of recipients of suspicious packages in the city Tuesday.

Ted Drakeford, who works for Pallone in constituent services, reportedly spotted a letter that seemed odd. According to Paul Dement, district director, the return and delivery address were written in two different handwriting styles.

It was addressed to Congressman Pallone, who was not in the office at the time, and labeled "personal and confidential," with a smudge on the delivery address.

"The return address was from Florida, and we don’t normally receive out-of-state mail at the district office," said Dement.

Dement immediately called local authorities and then slipped on a pair of rubber gloves to put the letter inside a plastic bag.

The city has been working diligently since the first scare of anthrax to set up guidelines and procedures in handling suspicious packages, according to city officials.

Confident that emergency services have taken all the means at its disposal to protect the public, Mayor Adam Schneider said it is vital that all residents follow guidelines set forth for dealing with the suspicious items. "Federal and mail personnel are the people being targeted, but since we do not know where it is coming from, we need to be cautious."

To date, according to Howard Woolley, the city administrator, local authorities have responded to more than 40 calls of suspicious packages.

"None of the packages tested positive [for anthrax]," he said. "Some of the mail we have recovered were advertising post cards and unsolicited letters from credit card companies."

When the police arrived at Pallone’s office, everyone was asked to remain outside the building temporarily while the task force proceeded inside with gloves and self-contained breathing apparatus to remove the letter.

Stan Dziuba, director of the Office of Emergency Management, could not comment at press time whether the package has tested positive for anthrax since it is still under investigation.

Although anthrax has not been found within city limits, a task force of 12 individuals, composed of the fire and police departments, the fire bureau and the emergency management office, is set up to respond. In addition to bringing a sense of security, the mayor and council announced Tuesday the precautionary guidelines that residents should follow in the event they receive strange, unsolicited mail.

According to Dziuba, the factors that constitute suspicious mail are an unfamiliar return address; packages that are discolored, stained or lumpy; or letters and parcels that are addressed to a person who no longer lives at the delivery address.

Once an individual identifies a package, noted Dziuba, he or she should notify the police at (732) 222-1000 or dial 911. One should leave the package where it is and, while waiting for authorities to arrive, wash hands with soap and water.

"It is important not to move the package to prevent further contamination," he said.

Most people, noted Dziuba, report a white powdery substance, although anthrax is actually beige or brown.

According to Woolley, cutaneous (skin) contamination can happen only if the individual handling the contaminate has a puncture wound or lesion.

"If the powder is activated by moving, it can dispense spores into the air and can be inhaled," he said.

"We don’t want people to panic," said Schneider. "The city is acting efficiently and effectively, and we will take care of you."