Community Corner

"Pass This On To Everybody. You Might Save Someone's Life."

Death of Medford mail carrier resonates with shoreline residents. Steve, a mail carrier from El Cajon, CA, visiting Madison, has a great tip for us, and for our mail carriers. It's called Emergen-C.

A posting on the Madison and Guilford Facebook page about a mail carrier from Medford, MA who died after delivering mail during the recent heat wave drew several comments from people in this area who were concerned about outdoor workers here. 

It's not clear that his death was due to the heat, and the cause of death is being investigated. But his widow is worried that the intense heat may have been a factor, according to a story in Newscenter 5/WCVB.com out of Boston

"A 45-year-old Medford postal carrier died Saturday after collapsing during a delivery -- and his wife believes intense heat and humidity might have played a role. James Baldassarre, of Haverhill, had been with the U.S. Postal Service for 24 years, many of those as a carrier in Medford. He was found Friday at 5:40 p.m. lying on the ground in the area of 99 Riverside Ave. and was pronounced dead the following morning at Massachusetts General Hospital. "I have a bunch of texts from Jimmy all day long, saying, 'I'm going to die out here today. It's so hot,'" Cathy Baldassarre told NewsCenter 5 on Sunday, adding Jimmy meant the messages only in jest. "They found him lying on the ground with a temperature of 110 degrees, delivering the mail out in the heat," she said. Baldassarre was due to leave work at 4:30 p.m. but stayed on for an overtime shift, according to Cathy Baldassarre. Temperatures were in the low 90s Friday, with high humidity, as the Northeast confronts an intense heat wave." 

Read the whole story on the Newscenter 5 website

After this was posted on the Madison and Guilford Facebook pages, several area residents said they were concerned about their mail carriers, and other outdoor workers. 

Jan Caligan of Madison said she tries to leave frozen bottles of water for her mail carrier during heat waves. 

"I try to always leave a frozen bottle of water in the mailbox. For those who don't know there is no AC in those mail trucks! Its terribly hot for them. Sometimes if I actually see her coming I take her an ice cream bar too!" Caligan said. 

Linda Mlisits Paine of Madison agreed that was a great idea. 

"This breaks my heart. I am actually on my way out to buy bottles of water. Lots of outdoor workers in my neighborhood," she said. 

Steve, a mail carrier from the San Diego area who is visiting Madison, had this tip. 

"Wow that is sad. I work as a mail carrier in the San Diego area- El Cajon which is very hot this time of the year, thankfully still in the 90's but will reach 100' in the next few month. Our summer lasts till into Oct. with the hottest heat in Sept-Oct," he said. "You must drink fluids all day long. NOT SODA, NOT COFFEE but water."

He added that replenishing electrolytes is as important as drinking water.

"You must keep your electrolytes in balance, some sports drinks do this. Water alone will not control you electrolytes. A product called Emergen-C WORKS Great for this !!!!!!! I have been using them for years. Water bottle in the mail box is a great idea, maybe leave a Emergen-C packet with it. I am on vacation in Madison right now. Pass this on to everybody..... You might save someone's life."

According to a description on allstarhealth.com, Emergen-C Electromix is  "a mineral electrolyte replacement drink like PediaLyte or Gatorade, but without all that darn sugar."
 
It also can be purchased from drugstore.com. Additional stores are listed are listed on the Emergen-C website.

If anyone knows of any local sources, let us know in the comment section below. 

Steve said the electromix is great for people doing things outdoors on hot days, even those working in a mail truck. 

"All the heat from the engine comes into the truck. If the mailman needs to walk the mail delivery the truck needs to be shut up and locked at all times. Meaning you get into a hot truck ( over 100' ) move it a short distance.... No windows open.... Lock it up again.... It is a tougher job then most people think..... Mentally and physically taxing...." he said. 

Patty Jacobs Schildknecht said on the Guilford Facebook page that she and her neighbors do what they can to help their outdoor workers. "Do what my neighbor and I do give them a bottle of water it always helps even the garbage man..." she said. 

It was so hot along the shoreline area over the weekend that town officials opened emergency cooling centers for town residents. In Madison, the Senior Center was offered as a cooling center. In Guilford, the police department was offered as a cooling center. 


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