Local residents shouldn’t be afraid of their mail this season.

The DeKalb Post Office is doing its part to fight terrorism by turning the patriotism of its employees into a dedication toward public safety.

“The whole U.S. needs to remember why we’re here,” DeKalb Postmaster Bonnie Gerdef said. “It’s come to the point where we need to draw the line and say let’s keep going.”

So far the going is good for local postal workers. Remaining calm in the face of widespread anthrax scares and being equipped with face masks and plastic gloves, business is the same for the workers as it always has been at the office.

“We’re doing fine,” Gerdef said. “We do our jobs and serve our customers the way we always have.”

Certain heightened security measures have been put into effect. Although no mail-related anthrax scares have occurred in DeKalb, those in charge of security have payed special attention to monitoring incoming mail and watching for anything suspicious, such as packages with white powder in or on them.

Several post offices, like the one in Carol Stream, have deployed the use of a special machine to sanitize any incoming or outgoing mail, but no such machine is being used in DeKalb. Gerdef said there’s no need for it.

Even with increased mail flow during the Christmas season, security measures being used by postal workers are not extremely different than they have been at any other time.

“We don’t give them the satisfaction of getting us upset,” Gerdef said of those causing anthrax scares.

If a suspicious package is found coming into DeKalb, which has yet to happen, it will be wrapped in a plastic bag and set aside until the HazMat (hazardous materials) team arrives to properly handle, test and dispose of it.

According to the U.S. Postal Service Web site, plans currently are being made to send out postcards to each household in America with an official message from Postmaster General John E. Potter about how to spot suspicious mail and what to do if it is found.

The postcard says that if a suspicious piece of mail is located, it should not be handled in any way. If someone does come in contact with it, they should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water and call their nearest law enforcement authority.