This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
U.S. Postal Service mail deliverers could be turned into special emergency workers under a bill working its way through the Utah Legislature.
SB57, which the Senate passed on an 28-0 vote Wednesday and sent to the House, would create a feasibility study on how to use postal workers' close knowledge of people in communities during emergencies.
Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, the bill's sponsor, said their knowledge could help police and others figure what people could be missing during an emergency such as an earthquake, including who actually may be on vacation.
"They know the community. They can get in any condo, any gated community," Mayne said.
She added that they and their vehicles could be used to scan their delivery areas to determine damage to structures, the physical and medical needs of residents and any other need for assistance.
— Lee Davidson