US Postal Makes Major Change After Worker’s Death

(RepublicanReport.org) – Since the beginning of June, Texas has experienced scorching heat that’s pushing the energy grid to the brink. These intense temperatures have made the southern state one of the hottest places to be on Earth this month. Cities like Del Rio hit a high of 115 degrees after 10 straight days of record-breaking numbers. For workers, this heat poses a major threat to their health. One USPS mailman even died while working in these harsh conditions, prompting the independent federal group to move up its employees’ start times.

On June 20, USPS employee Eugene Gates Jr., 66, lost consciousness while delivering mail. While a nearby homeowner conducted CPR on him, he was pronounced dead soon after arriving at a hospital. His cause of death has not been officially identified, though speculation is that the scorching 115-degree heat led to heat stroke.

Shortly after this death, USPS in the area announced employees must now start their shift at 7:30 a.m. rather than 9 a.m. to combat the heat. However, even at this time, the temperature has been well over 80 degrees when the workers report for duty.

Texas postal worker dies while delivering mail in 'dangerous environment' with record-high tempshttps://t.co/5ZoRyrs1IK

— Jeffrey A. Setaro (@jasetaro) June 28, 2023

Heat stroke occurs when a body’s temperature rises to 104 or higher and cannot cool itself down. The person then experiences delirium, confusion, and seizures before the body shuts down. While the evaporation of sweat helps someone cool off, high humidity makes that process much slower and heat-related illnesses more common. In a heat stroke, the person has typically stopped sweating. If you believe someone may be suffering from a heat stroke, call 911 and ensure they get to a hospital immediately.

Another temperature-related issue is heat exhaustion, which occurs when a body has lost too much salt and water through sweat. This typically starts when someone feels dehydrated and results in an elevated heart rate, vomiting, and headaches. In this case, it’s important to cool the person off using ice packs or a fan and rehydrate them with an electrolyte drink.