A United States Postal Service carrier died last week while delivering mail in the extreme Texas heat. Prior to his death, USPS sent him a disciplinary letter for not delivering fast enough.
The United States Postal Service changed the start times for its carriers after an employee died on the job.
On the hottest days of the year, Eugene Gates, Jr., was always prepared.
He was a USPS letter carrier in Dallas for 36 years.
He even purchased an ice maker for his house. His wife, Carla, would turn it on every day at 3 p.m. so he'd have enough ice the next morning.
"He has this cooler that he'd been taking to work for years," she said.
Last Monday was the last time Eugene prepared his cooler. Right around 3 p.m., when Carla would normally be turning on his ice machine, Eugene collapsed while walking door-to-door delivering mail.
His wife believes it was because of the extreme heat in Texas.
"Most definitely it was heat related," she said.
Prior to his death, KHOU 11 reported Gates was sent a disciplinary letter from USPS:
A letter of discipline obtained by WFAA, which was sent to Gates, stated he was issued the letter for "unacceptable performance – expanding street time." The letter states that Gates stopped by the USPS office twice – once in the morning and again in the afternoon – and also says that he stopped "so many times on [his] way back to the station, it took [him] 45 minutes" longer than it should've to return to the office at the end of his shift.
The letter says an investigative review was conducted on May 11, notes that Gates' stationary event was "in violation of postal rules and regulations," and warns that "future deficiencies will result in more severe disciplinary actions, including removal from the Postal Service."
Eugene started work at 8:30 that morning out of the Lakewood post office before going on his route. But his wife said there was once a time when he began his shift at six o'clock before sunrise.
"I started the same time that Eugene did," said Kame Lewis, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers branch 132.
"When I first started working at the postal service, I was coming in at six o'clock," she said.
It wasn't until after Eugene's death that USPS made the start time an hour earlier at 7:30 a.m. for all Texas letter carriers to help them get ahead of the heat.
While this is a step in the right direction, Carla demands more.
"At 7:30 [a.m.] it's already 88 degrees," she said.
"That's not enough. Why not six o'clock? They've done it before."
When USPS was asked about the change of start time for letter carriers in Texas, they responded and said they have no further information at this time.
When asked about heat safety, USPS sent the following statement to WFAA News:
"Our carriers deliver the mail throughout the year during varying temperatures and climatic conditions. This includes during the summer months when the temperatures rise throughout the country. The safety of our employees is a top priority, and the Postal Service has implemented a national Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) for all employees. In connection with the HIPP, the Postal Service provides mandatory heat-related and other safety training and instruction to all employees and assures they have the resources needed to do their jobs safely."
At work, Eugene gave his all to his customers. Then he'd come home and do the the same for his wife.
"The only photo I have of Eugene in his uniform is him mowing the lawn," Carla said.
The photo speaks volumes of who Eugene was.
"The love of my life is gone," Carla said.
"I do not wish this on anyone."
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July 01, 2023 at 08:50PM
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