Post Office works to catch up

As the mandatory evacuation order is lifted in certain areas of Fallbrook, people returning back to the community have questions regarding their mail service, especially those who have sadly suffered the loss of their homes.

“For those people whose homes have been destroyed by the fire, we are having them go to the Fallbrook Community Center right now,” said Dave Webster, Postmaster of the Fallbrook Post Office. The Fallbrook Community Center is located at 341 Heald Lane. Residents can fill out forms which will enable the post office to hold their mail.

“They will be able to pick up their mail every three days at the Fallbrook Post Office,” said Webster.

He also advised residents to stay home and not attempt going to the Post Office to pick up their mail for the past week. According to Webster, they have five days worth of mail that has not been sorted yet.

“Right now, we are attempting to deliver mail to any place that we can get to,” said Webster. Postal workers will return mail to any areas in Fallbrook that is currently barricaded.

The post office is currently delivering mail that was originally set up for Monday, October 22, explained Webster.

“We had to recall everybody (postal carriers) back from their routes [October 22] because of the evacuation,” said Webster.

Fallbrook mail, which was held at the Murrieta Carrier Annex during the evacuation, is now being transported to the Fallbrook Post Office.

“We need one day to recover,” he said. “We are stuffed to the gills with mail.”

Webster predicts the post office will be caught up with first class mail by Monday, October 29 and other circulars and standard mail by next Wednesday, October 31.

The post office box system is up and running, said Webster. And for residents who were issued a “pick up mail” card prior to the mandatory evacuation, those parcels are ready for distribution.

Overwhelmed with mail, the Fallbrook Post Office currently has 31 volunteers from other city offices lending a helping hand.

“We will be utilizing that help to get mail delivered tomorrow,” said Webster.

Though not officially authorized yet from their district offices, the Fallbrook Post Office has requested permission to deliver mail on Sunday, October 27. “We are still seeking that authorization,” Webster noted.

Webster assures Fallbrook residences that no mail has been destroyed at the Fallbrook Post Office.

“The only mail that has been compromised were ones already in a residential mailbox at the time of the fire,” said Webster.

He added that when picking up mail at the Fallbrook Post Office, proof of identification remains mandatory.

Currently, Federal Express (Fed Ex) still has the zip code of 92028 as being non-deliverable, and does not have an expected date for this block to be lifted. For those Fallbrook residents expecting a package from Fed Ex, representatives suggest logging onto http://www.FedEx.com for more information or to call 1-800-463-3339.

UPS is delivering to the open areas of Fallbrook. For residents who remain under mandatory evacuation or have lost their home due to the fire, please log onto http://www.UPS.com or call 1-800-742-5877 for tracking assistance.