Postal Service: Clear your mailbox

The daily routine of a letter carrier puts them on the front line whenever harsh weather strikes. Your letter carrier can be the first to visit a home before snow removal or salting begins. And we may use stairways, porches or walkways that a family does not frequent during the winter months. That's why the Postal Service reminds local residents not to overlook regular upkeep of residential mailboxes as part of any snow and ice removal routine.

Here are a few tips. If you have a mailbox at the road, keep it clear of packed snow.

Carriers are not required to deliver to locations where safety issues create precarious conditions. That may mean moving a mailbox down from the porch. Painted porches and steps are particularly hazardous. While salting or rubber-backed mats help make them less slippery, we rely on our customers to clear the snow.

Add a reflector and house number to your mailbox to improve visibility by your letter carrier, plows and emergency vehicles. Leave a light on to help illuminate potential hazards on the way to your mailbox.

Help us serve you with excellence.

Ken Hale

Islandia

Editor's note: The writer is the district manager for the U.S. Postal Service.