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cooperative projects without the authorization in § 116.2.

PART 117-MAIL TREATED IN CONFIDENCE

§ 117.1

Mail treated in confidence. Sealed first-class mail while in the custody of the Post Office Department is accorded absolute secrecy. No persons in the Postal Service, except those employed for that purpose in dead-mail offices, may break or permit the breaking of the seal of any matter mailed as first-class mail without a legal warrant, even though it may contain criminal or otherwise unmailable matter, or furnish evidence of the commission of a crime.

(R.S. 161, as amended, sec. 1, 62 Stat. 782; 5 U.S.C. 301, 18 U.S.C. 1717, 39 U.S.C. 501) [26 FR. 11513, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966; 32 F.R. 9559, July 1, 1967]

PART 118-COOPERATION WITH RED CROSS DURING NATURAL DISASTERS 1

§ 118.5

Cooperation with Red Cross during natural disasters.

(a) Application of these instructions. This section applies only to natural disasters such as those caused by floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, explosions, etc., and not to those caused by enemy action.

(b) Objective of instructions. Both the Post Office Department and the Red Cross realize the importance to the individual and the community of maintaining communication during times of disaster. These procedures will help maintain this essential communication.

(c) Action by the Red Cross. (1) The American National Red Cross will encourage its chapters to establish and maintain contact with the postmaster(s) within the chapter jurisdiction in the interest of disaster planning.

(2) The Red Cross will arrange to use the "Change of Address Order," Form 3575 as a standard item in Red Cross disaster operations. It will also arrange to distribute these forms as needed to disaster-displaced persons in all Red Cross field facilities such as registration centers, feeding centers, mobile canteens, disaster shelters, etc. The chapter concerned will arrange with the postmaster concerned for the disposition of the completed forms for the establishment of a postal locator file.

132 F.R. 20811, Dec. 27, 1967.

(3) The Red Cross will arrange for the distribution of postal cards or other suitable stationery as needed by individuals or families in areas affected by disaster for mailing to relatives and friends as notification of the whereabouts and safety of the senders.

(4) The Red Cross will in disaster situations include in its Public Information releases an appeal to affected families and individuals to obtain and complete "Change of Address Order" forms, along with an appeal to write to relatives and friends immediately concerning their whereabouts and safety.

(5) The Red Cross will include all necessary instructions in operating procedure manuals and training outlines to guide its field staff and volunteers in cooperating with local postmasters in implementing this arrangement.

(6) The Red Cross has advised all of its chapters concerning these instructions and has urged that they include postmasters in their disaster preparedness planning.

(d) Action by the Post Office Department. (1) The Post Office Department will make available to the American National Red Cross "Change of Address Order," Form 3575, in a manner mutually agreeable to both agencies.

(2) Post offices that receive completed "Change of Address Order" forms following a disaster will maintain them as a central locator file to provide directory service whereby mail may be promptly forwarded to individuals and families displaced by the disaster.

(3) The Post Office Deparment will permit postmasters to make available the information on these "Change of Address Order" forms to authorized Red Cross disaster workers. This information will be used by the Red Cross in locating individuals and families, only to answer inquiries from relatives and friends concerning the whereabouts and welfare of residents of the disaster community, or to make contact with residents who have made application for assistance from the Red Cross but who cannot be located because of a change of address.

(4) Regional Directors and Postal Inspectors in Charge are responsible for seeing that the post offices concerned implement these cooperative arrangements in disaster situations. Postmasters are encouraged to participate in community and Red Cross disaster preparedness planning.

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(b) Inadequate preparation. Articles which are not prepared in accordance with the general guides in this Part may be refused acceptance in the mail. § 121.2 Containers for mailing.

(a) Types of containers. Containers must be strong enough to retain and protect their contents during the course of normal mail handling. Boxes or cartons of the following materials are commonly used: Corrugated or solid fiberboard, kraftboard, chipboard (for small items), fiber mailing tubes with metal ends, metal, and wood. Heavy wrapping

paper or burlap or similar cloth may be used for parcels containing unbreakable goods which would not be damaged by the weight of other mail. The strength of carton required will depend on the weight, size, and nature of the article shipped.

(b) Size of container. The outer shipping container should be the proper size to hold the goods shipped plus enough space for cushioning material inside. If the container is too large, the contents are apt to shift while in transit. If it is too small, or if too much is put into it, there will not be enough room for protective internal cushioning. An overstuffed carton may burst in transit.

(c) Chipboard boxes. Small rigid telescoping chipboard boxes are usually used for small articles such as watches, jewelry, pens, etc. Those boxes equipped with metal clasps which hold the two parts together ordinarily need no further reinforcement to effect a proper closure.

(d) Used containers. A used container as described in paragraph (a) of this section in good rigid condition with all flaps intact is acceptable. If a box of the desired size cannot be found, a larger one may be cut down as shown in Illustration 1. Bend the four sides over the articles which have been cushioned in

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(e) Bulk mailings. Envelopes should not ordinarily be used as containers for large numbers of items of merchandise mailed at the bulk third-class rates or at the single piece first-, third-, or fourthclass rates. Such items of merchandise should be placed in suitable containers which can be uniformly stacked and tied in bundles, and they should otherwise be properly packaged, labeled, and marked in accordance with the provisions of §§ 121.3, 121.4, 121.5, 121.6, and Part 125 of this chapter, just as though they were single pieces.

§ 121.3 Internal protection.

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aging one another, in addition to protecting against outside impact. Each item should be separately wrapped so that no damage will result regardless of the position of the package inside a mail sack.

(3) In the absence of a specially engineered package with built-in interior padding, moulds or suspension, it is desirable that the container should always be full.

(b) Cushioning materials and positioning. (1) Excelsior, flexible corrugated fiberboard, or felt are commonly used to cushion heavy articles. Cellulose materials, cotton, clothing, shredded paper, or tissue paper are used for lighter items. Expanded foam plastics may also be used for cushioning or suspension of the items within the parcel. The amount and kind of cushioning needed will depend on size and nature of items mailed.

(2) Heavy and lightweight items should not be packed together in the same compartment. Heavy items should be packed so that they will remain in a fixed position.

(3) Heavy items such as machine parts, motors, castings, hardware and the like, particularly those in the long or bar category, require extraordinarily good exterior packaging and closure and should be securely positioned within the container. Positive measures should be taken to prevent punching out the ends of the containers. When items of the general type mentioned move in their containers, they will not be accepted for mailing. Strapping around the container and extra strengthening of the ends of long cartons are recommended.

(c) Fragile articles. (1) The pieces must be individually cushioned.

(2) If shredded paper or loose excelsior is used, at least 2 inches of either should be placed on all four sides of the box and on top and bottom. Each piece must be properly spaced and cushioned to avoid strain or damage to other pieces. About one-half of an inch cushioning between flat pieces will be adequate.

(3) Breakage of one item when packed with soft cushioning material may result in general loosening of other articles in the carton with further damage. If corrugated interior packing, such as trays, pads, partitions, compartments, etc., are used, they must be arranged so that individual items do not touch the wall of the shipping carton or each other. Flexible packing pads between each item

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(5) Illustration 2 shows the manner of cushioning several odd shaped items in a parcel.

(d) Glassware, chinaware, ceramics, radios, and other similar articles. These articles are very fragile and require both a strong container and adequate interior cushioning between the pieces and the container. Proper packing is shown in Illustration 3.

(e) Framed pictures. These items should be cushioned on both sides and packed in a strong shipping carton. Ilustration 4 shows one way of packing a framed picture. The newspaper is folded to form rolls which are placed around the picture.

(f) Pamphlets, forms, papers, etc. These items are especially vulnerable to damage and should be securely packaged as illustrated below.

(1) Boxes or cartons. Use boxes or cartons for large quantities of loose paper items. Tie the items securely before placing them in the container.

(2) Envelopes or wrappers. Small quantities of loose paper items must be

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