Proud to Serve Honoring Heroic Letter Carriers
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ProudTO SERVE eroism, like the mail, comes in head, to try to calm him down. The Saginaw, many packages—think of police Michigan Branch 74 member, who is also a officers or fire fighters. But for 17-year fire fighter, used his training to assess H some citizens in need of assis- the boy’s possible injuries. He worried if he tance, their heroes come in the form of con- relieved too much pressure too quickly, blood cerned letter carriers. might pool, which could prove to be fatal. Letter carriers are members of nearly every Leipert placed the jack under the front pas- community in this nation and know when senger side of the vehicle and used it to lift something is wrong. Spotting fires and the car up about 4 inches. Craighead was able injuries, they are often the first to respond. to breathe a little more freely and ease his The following stories document their heroism. face out of the snow. “His hips were still kind For them, delivering for America is all in a of stuck, and each time he was moving the day’s work. car would rock,” the carrier told The Saginaw Fire fighting skills News, so he didn’t want to attempt to pull the boy completely out until emergency respon- help carrier save boy ders arrived. “Help! My baby’s pinned under my During the wait, Leipert laid down on the car!” The scream cut through a typical floor next to the boy to try to calm him. “His hips were cold winter day in Michigan as Chris- Shortly thereafter, police and fire fighters topher Leipert set out to deliver his arrived to use the “jaws of life” on the vehicle still kind of route. Hearing the shouts from a fran- to raise the car high enough to pull the boy tic customer about four houses down, out. Craighead was rushed to the hospital, the carrier quickly locked his mail and once Leipert saw the boy was in good bag in his LLV and ran to the stuck, and each hands, he returned to his route. woman’s aid. Leipert entered the The woman told police that earlier in the garage and saw where the car’s front time he was day, as she and her son returned home, she axle had plowed through the back of the garage, creating an opening to the asked him to get out of the car to open the moving the car snow-covered back yard. Blood garage door, Saginaw Police Detective Joseph stained the snow where the boy was Dutoi said. As the woman accelerated the car would rock.” trapped, stomach down, partly in the toward the garage, it hit a patch of ice. She garage with his face pressed to the yelled to warn her son, and pressed her brake —Branch 74 member Chris- ground. “I can’t breathe,” he gasped. pedal all the way to the floor, but the vehicle topher Leipert recalled Leipert thought quickly, asked for didn’t stop. “I’m a parent, too,” Leipert told helping a young boy stuck a car jack and began talking to the The News. “Things like this can happen when under a car in a garage boy, 10-year-old Christopher Craig- you least expect it. 28 POSTAL RECORD I JUNE 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS Eyeon the ELDERLY WHILE DELIVERING MAIL, BEVERLY SEEING MAIL PILING UP IN A PATRON’S been lying for four days. Medical Edwards witnessed her elderly cus- mailbox, carrier Penny Bell became responders found her responsive but tomer, Rose Eichenbaum, take a bad very concerned about her elderly cus- disoriented. Hasenbank had a medical fall as she was leaving her house. The tomer, Mildred Hasenbank. Bell looked alert device, but it wasn’t functioning. Maine Merged Branch 92 member into the matter further and noticed that Norton Shores Fire Capt. Andy Casper- responded quickly to help the woman Hasenbank, who has hearing difficul- son praised the carriers. “If help had and called 911 and the customer’s hus- ties, no longer had her TV on at high arrived only 12 hours later, it might be a band. “Rose was examined, treated and volume, as she normally did. Bell different story,” he told The Muskegon released from the hospital without any thought Hasenbank might be away for Chronicle. “It was nice to see someone complications, thanks to Beverly’s the weekend with one of her kids, so like the Postal Service or anyone in our help,” Mr. Eichenbaum wrote in a let- she moved on with her route, but asked society take an extra step.” ter to the post office commending the her sub, fellow Muskegon, Michigan carrier. “She does a great job.” Branch 13 member Debbie Czarny, if HEARING CALLS FOR HELP WHILE she would check on the situation the delivering mail, carrier Jennifer Lopez DURING ONE OF THE WORST SNOW became worried. Following the direction days of the year, nine-year postal next day. Czarny noted the accumulated of the voice, she found an elderly and veteran Charra Turner was walking mail and quiet house again, so she went disabled customer who had fallen out of along her route when she came upon to a neighbor’s house for help. The someone with a familiar face lying in neighbors kept pounding on the door his wheelchair at his home. The West- the alley. The elderly customer had fall- until they finally heard a small, faint ern Wayne County, Michigan Branch en down on the ice and could not pick voice in reply. Since the neighbors had 2184 member called EMS and waited himself back up. Turner helped the a key, they opened the door and found with the customer until help arrived man to his feet and led him along the Hasenback on the floor, where she had before continuing on her route. path back to his home. The Columbus, Ohio Branch 78 member was praised for the concern she shows to the mem- bers in her community. NOTICING THAT AN ELDERLY CUSTOMER on his route had not picked up his mail in several days, Russ Brennen grew deeply concerned, especially since he knew the man was in failing health and that his wife had recently passed away. The carrier knocked on the customer’s door, but received no response. Bren- nen checked with neighbors, but they all said they hadn’t seen the man in a while, so he decided to call his supervi- sor, who in turn called city police. Offi- cers arrived a short time later and were able to gain access to the house via the back door. The customer was found in an incoherent state and had apparently not eaten for several days. Police credited the Seattle, Washington Branch 79 member with saving his photo by Ken Stevens, The Muskegon Chronicle customer’s life, saying if he hadn’t Muskegon, Michigan Branch 13 members Debbie Czarny (l) and Penny Bell checked on an intervened when he did, the man may elderly customer when they saw mail piling up. The woman had been lying on the floor for a have died. few days and was in failing health before she was discovered. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS JUNE 2010 I POSTAL RECORD 29 Eyeon the ELDERLY LYNNETTE THONNE USUALLY SAW ONE she felt there was something not right of her elderly customers every day about the situation. Green turned her when the woman came to collect her vehicle around and went back to the mail, and she had gotten to know her. woman’s home, finding her still in her So when the carrier came across about “She’s probably driveway. She had apparently fallen two days’ worth of accumulated mail, a and injured herself. After calling for red flag went up. She went to the build- help, the Gulfport, Mississippi Branch ing manager to ask about the cus- alive today 1374 member stayed with the woman tomer, and it seemed that no one had until medical personnel arrived. “She’s seen her recently. The manager went to because of Mrs. probably alive today because of Mrs. the apartment to check on the woman Green,” Fire Chief Keith Brown told and heard her calling for help. She had the Picayune City Council. been unable to get out of bed for days Green.” AS HE WAS DELIVERING HIS ROUTE, and had been trying to summon atten- —Fire chief Keith Brown Eric Legner heard pleas for help from tion. She suffered from dehydration commended Branch 1374 an elderly customer inside a home. He and a swollen leg but responded well to made his way inside the home and treatment. Thonne, a Green Bay, Wis- member Sherri Green for found 93-year-old Elsa Schmidt in the consin Branch 619 member, was com- looking after her patron after bathtub. Legner covered her, called mended for the care and concern she she fell and injured herself emergency services for assistance and showed to her customer. stayed with her until she was safely WHILE DELIVERING A CERTIFIED LET- bathtub faucet. “I really appreciate the inside the ambulance. Schmidt had ter to the home of an elderly customer, concern Michael Estes showed in figur- slipped outside her bedroom the day Dick Lauer noticed the door was open. ing out something wasn’t right,” Ross told before and broken her arm. She was Concerned, he investigated further and The Montgomery County Chronicle. “I look able to pull herself into the bathroom, when he looked inside, he discovered so forward to thanking him personally but was unable to pull herself all the the woman lying on her floor and seem- when I see him.” But the Independence, way up.