The United States Postal Service (USPS) changed an outdated emergency policy in January following an NBC Bay Area investigation that exposed critical delays in a life and death situation at a mail processing facility in Oakland.

The policy, dating back to the 1970s, advised postal service employees not to call 911 first when they witnessed a medical emergency and instead instructed them to call the onsite postal police unit. The policy stated “Only the postal police are to initiate the 911 procedure.”

The USPS adopted a new 911 policy in the Oakland facility at the beginning of the year. The first line now states “In an emergency, anyone should immediately call 911.”

NBC Bay Area investigated the policy after a letter sorting machine operator, Sam Macasieb, died from head trauma he sustained at the facility last summer. Read more