PIER Systems has sent an employee to the Incident Command Center for the complex of wildfires causing widespread damage throughout northern California.

Bellingham-based PIER (Public Information Emergency Response) was contacted by CalFire and U.S. Forest Service officials on June 28 to assist with managing internal and public information in support of the firefighting effort.

PIER Systems provides a Web-based communication control system allowing communicators and emergency response leaders to collaborate and communicate with the public, media and others. It is used by major federal agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard in addition to numerous large corporations, universities and state and local government agencies.

On receipt of the request from fire officials, a communication control center was immediately launched enabling the public information officers involved in the wildfire response to gather information quickly, produce information releases and distribute them.

Pak Mail now offers luggage service

Pak Mail, the packing and shipping center in Barkley Village, has introduced a ship-ahead luggage service for people who wish to avoid taking luggage on a plane.

With airline fees for a 60-pound suitcase as high as $100 or more each way, and a significant chance of a bag being lost before it arrives, shipping ahead is an easy way to take the worry out of air travel, said Anne-Marie Nelson, owner of the Barkley Pak Mail.

Pak Mail’s Ship Ahead service offers a ground shipping rate of $60 for suitcases up to 60 pounds going anywhere east of Colorado. For destinations west of the Rocky Mountains, the rate is $45. If the suitcase is lightweight and the actual shipping rate is lower than $45 or $60, the lower rate prevails.

For more information call 738-8919.