It’s been more than eight months since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but the threat of terrorism is not over.

We were reminded of that recently in East Lansing, generally considered an unlikely place for terrorists to strike. DTN Management Co. sent an alerting letter to its residents, concerning warnings from the FBI of a “general, non-specific threat” against unknown U.S. apartment buildings.

At times like this, we need to remind ourselves that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Most of us go about our daily lives aware of the dangers we may face - car accidents, sudden health problems and even crime - but reminders like these letters can help us put that danger in perspective.

Some apartment residents may simply have ignored the threat and thrown it on top of a stack of junk mail and bills, but there also are probably those who locked a door they normally wouldn’t have, or went out to meet their neighbors to get to know the community better.

Danger is everywhere, and while we can’t run from it, we can take steps to protect ourselves and those around us. A notice shouldn’t be needed to remind people of that - it should be common sense that not locking a door is an invitation for trouble and ignoring warnings tempts fate.

There are standard safety precautions that everyone should utilize every day. In the current state of hyper-awareness that has the entire world nervous, the simple things in normal routines make even more sense than before.

It doesn’t hurt that the person across the hall may now be keeping their eyes open a little more for suspicious behavior.

College towns are known for having a live-and-let-live atmosphere, but suspicious behavior should be observed. After all, it is the responsibility of every person to watch over their own safety, first and foremost. A truly safe world starts with each individual.