Postal Service: Assist postmen when weather is bad

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The U.S. Postal Service today issued a statement noting more severe weather could be in store for Southern Illinois this year.

According to the prepared release, "The severe weather is guaranteed to make sidewalks and roads slippery and hazardous. These conditions are detrimental to your mail carrier and anyone working outside or making deliveries.

"Keeping walkways, steps and all access areas to the mailbox clear of ice and snow helps ensure the safe delivery of mail. Ice and snow may also make it difficult for mail delivery vehicles to stop at curbside or rural mailboxes. Spreading sand and salt where the vehicle stops will assist the carrier.

"The safety of our carriers is always a concern," said Patricia Yates, manager of safety for the Gateway District of the U.S. Postal Service. "Ice and snow add an element of risk to mail delivery. Customers can help by clearing their walkways and drives."

"Letter carriers do their best to provide customers with quality service," Yates said. "Keeping sidewalks, steps, and access areas to mailboxes clear of snow and ice makes their job a little easier and much safer."