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City mail carriers unfazed in face of threats
By GEORGE MOORE
Every residence and business in America should have gotten a postcard from the United States Postal Service during Halloween week with information on how to identify a suspicious letter or parcel and what precautions should be taken to guard against the threat of anthrax.
"The first thing we wanted to accomplish was making sure everyone got the same information," said Augustine Ruiz, a communications program spokesperson for the Santa Clara County postal division. "The national mailing is one way we're doing this."
Ruiz said people should expect to see more national mailings with updated information as it develops.
According to Ruiz, postal employees have been told to be very vigilant at work, and that dust masks and gloves are available if they want them.
Fear of the unknown has created a high state of anxiety for many Americans, and people are concerned. Ruiz said the very presence of postal workers in neighborhoods helps bring a sense of normalcy and has a calming effect.
"This could be a defining moment for the postal service," Ruiz said. "There are two things we're accomplishing--we are delivering the mail as our national mandate and bringing a sense of reassurance by our presence."
Cupertino postal carriers don't appear concerned with the threat, some saying there is a better chance of winning the lottery than being infected by anthrax. Several mail carriers said postal workers who sort the mail at the post office at 21701 Stevens Creek Blvd. are taking precautions by wearing masks and gloves. The masks and gloves are available to the carriers, but most of them are not wearing them.
"There are some carriers who are wearing them," a postal carrier, who asked that his name not be used, said. "If I worked in Sacramento, I might be a little more worried, but so far the threat only seems to be affecting the East Coast."
One of the workers said the postmaster at the Cupertino office went beyond the call of duty and ordered masks and gloves for his workers before national safeguards went into effect.
Cupertino resident Claire Omura said she wouldn't be worried if she noticed postal carriers wearing protective masks and gloves.
"At this point I'm not too worried," Omura said. "But we do wash our hands after opening our mail because we feel it's better to be safe."
The overall feeling in the community seems to be that people would not feel less comfortable if their postal carriers were wearing gloves and masks while delivering their mail.
"If that's what it takes to make them feel comfortable--that's the important thing," one Cupertino resident said.
Another resident said it wouldn't bother him, but he is thinking about buying gloves and masks for himself and opening his mail outdoors.
Postal carriers said some residents have shown concern and have been asking them about any new information they might have heard. Postmaster General John E. Potter has advised Americans to wash their hands with soap and water after handling any mail.
The nationally mailed postcard lists several things people should look for in their mail, such as unexpected mail from someone they don't know or mail addressed to a previous resident; mail that has an address that is handwritten with no return address; packages that are lopsided or lumpy or sealed with excessive tape; and mail marked "personal" or "confidential" or that has excessive postage.
The postcard said anyone who has mail in their possession that they suspect may be contaminated should not to handle, shake, bump or sniff it, and they should wash their hands thoroughly and notify local law enforcement authorities.
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Cupertino, California Since 1947
