Postal Workers Battle the Winter Weather

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City postal worker was sent to the hospital in critical condition Monday after falling on the ice and hitting her head. For mail carriers, the weather can be dangerous, but the sleet and ice isn't enough to keep them from their appointed rounds.

While the weather might be slowing them down a bit, it's not stopping them.

"I think it was much worse yesterday because we didn't have as much traction and there was a lot of black ice," letter carrier Greg Faulkner said.

Faulkner has been a letter carrier for 18 years, and for him, the job never gets easier in bad weather.

"I like the warm weather better," Faulkner said.

From door to door, and mailbox to mailbox, with ice and sleet pelting his face, Faulkner hoofs it up and down the street making sure he gets all the mail out before his shifts end.

"Normally, it takes about six hours to walk this route, and on a day like this, it usually takes 30 or 40 minutes longer," Faulkner said.

Walking the icy streets and sidewalks can be dangerous, but Faulkner is prepared.

"Well, the post office gives us these spikes that we wear over our shoes and they really dig into the ice so it makes it much easier walking," Faulkner said.

Customers can help speed up their delivery by removing the ice.

"A few of the people have cleaned off their porches and have made it a little bit easier for us," Faulkner said.

And as lonely as it may look for Faulkner, he's not taken for granted.

"They're a great bunch of guys; we ought to be proud of what they're doing on days like this," one resident said.

Faulkner admits he can get worn out, but the mail must come through; after all, it's his creed.

"Through rain, and snow, and sleet and gloom of night," Faulkner said.

The carriers deliver about 250,000 pieces of mail in the metro every day.

If your mail can't be delivered because your box is blocked, carriers will hold on to the mail and try to deliver it the next day, so don't block your box if you want to get your mail.