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February 24, 2010

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet ...

Mail carriers brave winter weather

Matt Tillson

With the winter weather that has swept across the Stephens County area the past few months businesses, homes and schools were basically shut down because of loss of power or too much snow fall. The United States Postal Service was one business that was not closed because of these problems.

Duncan Postmaster Ken Morrison said that there is not many things that will stop the mail from running.

“Anything that can become a serious safety issue that can harm one of our mail carriers is a reason that we will not deliver to a house,” Morrison said. “If power lines are down or things of that nature we will not deliver.”

Morrison noted that the mail carriers do not receive any extra pay or other compensation when working during bad weather. He also said that his mail carriers do it for the pride that they have in their jobs and the work that they do.

“Our mail carriers take pride in their work and the job that they do,” Morrison said. “They all enjoy working with the customers that they deliver to each time.”

Morrison said that the pride that his mail carriers had for their jobs really showed during the recent ice storm when power was out across Stephens County.

“We had employees who would come into work when they had not had electricity in days,” Morrison said. “They would come in though and go straight to work that shows me the pride that they have in their jobs and shows me that these really are great caring people.”

Morrison said that he has been a part of the postal service for 15 years and the recent snow fall and ice storms that we had were the worst that he has ever seen.

“That is the most snow that I have ever seen hit Oklahoma,” Morrison said. “Our trucks are not prepared for snow like that, maybe if we were up north where they have equipment for snow but not down here.”

Another obstacle along with the elements is transportation for the mail carriers.

“Those trucks sometimes they just don’t do so well when the ice and snow come rolling in,” Morrison said. “I’ve been out several times helping push some of our trucks out because they just slide off and get stuck.”

When weather conditions get bad Morrison said that it becomes all hands on deck for the postal service.

“Every postmaster there is will step in and help out where they are needed,” Morrison said. “Whether it be going out and delivering the mail or whatever else that it takes.”



—Matt Tillson is a reporter for the Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354 Ext. 142 or via e-mail matt.tillson@duncanbanner.com.

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