Mail carriers ask for help during winter weather

RENO — Neither sleet or snow or flooding will keep mail carriers from their rounds, but they still need your help.

With the recent inclement weather and snowfall, Postal officials are asking residents across the area to help their carriers deliver the mail by clearing snow and ice from roadways, walkways and mailbox access.

Several times this last week, carriers were unable to complete their routes because the roads were impassable, especially in Susanville, Alturas, Truckee, Incline Village and South Lake Tahoe.

Flood waters may also impact delivery this week.

“We’re in your neighborhood six days a week in every kind of weather. Each carrier delivers to hundreds of homes and businesses a day and the recent weather has been particularly challenging,” said Manager of Postal Operations Suzanne Phillips. “We’re up for the challenge, but we are turning to the community to help us eliminate safety concerns so we can efficiently deliver your mail.”

Here’s what the community can do to keep their letter carrier safe:

• If you receive delivery of mail to a rural-type post mailbox, please clear around the box to allow your carrier to drive up to the box, deposit mail and drive away.

• If your mail is delivered at your residence or business, please keep the path to your mail box or slot clear of snow and ice.

Providing a safe access to your mailbox helps letter carriers deliver your mail safely and without interruption.

Additionally, power interruptions have impacted many retail operations in the High Sierra, including the towns of Susanville, Westwood, Janesville and Standish, limiting services to package pickup and simple cash transactions.