The mail must go through while preventing frostbite and hypothermia
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)--With bitter cold temperatures across Central Ohio, mail carriers are staying warm anyway they can.
"We do it, every day! Rain, sleet, or snow," said United States Postal Service mail carrier Stephen Weems.
Weems has been a postal worker for more than 30 years. He's thankful every day for his job.
He admits, the snow has been a real hassle lately, especially, when temperatures get this low. Fortunately, all that experience on the road has taught him how to handle this kind of weather.
"This which is a parka, this is good for 20 below, it really is, and I have a hoodie under it, I have thermals," said Weems. "These are actually rain paints, but we use them to block the wind, so I am very warm right now," said Weems.
There's no better way to prepare for this weather, than by wearing plenty of layers and staying dry according to doctors. Otherwise, you may start to experience signs of frostbite.
"Frostbite is a localized injury, from the cold. So typically, we're going to see them in the nose, the ears, and the fingertips, areas that are exposed," said Dr. Thomas Gavin who is the medical director for OhioHealth Freestanding Emergency Department.
Dr. Gavin explained if your body starts to experience pain, numbness, or a change in color that you need to get indoors and apply warm, but not scalding hot water, to the affected area.
Other signs of danger to look out for, are the conditions for hypothermia.
"As we get cold, we start to shiver and shake, to try and generate heat, you'll still probably be shivering, but you'll also start getting tired very fatigued," said Dr. Gavin.
Mail carriers like Weems are looking for these signs as well.
"That is pretty much the worst part, when it gets icy out, snowy like this. Yeah, you want to keep safety in mind, and that is the hardest part because this will obviously slow you down," said Weems.