The family of a North Carolina postal service worker who died after working under intense heat is taking the United States Postal Service to task over their response to their loved one’s death.
Postal worker Wednesday “Wendy” Johnson died on June 6 at her job in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Family members reportedly say the 51-year-old was riding in the back of a USPS truck with no air conditioning on a scorching summer day to help with deliveries.
USPS sent Johnson’s family a name plaque and organized a memorial service to honor her. While De’Andre Johnson is grateful for the gestures, he believes the agency was “saving face.”
A USPS spokesperson sent a statement to USA TODAY following Johnson’s death rehashing the heat illness prevention programs and training the agency has instituted to address heat safety issues.
“Carriers are reminded to ensure they’re hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, including hats, get in the shade whenever possible, and to take sufficient amounts of water and ice with them out on their routes,” the statement read. “Carriers are further instructed to contact 9-1-1 in the event they begin experiencing any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and they are provided with information to help them identify the symptoms associated with these two forms of heat illness.”
Johnson’s children remembered their mother as a vibrant, loving soul who was the rock of their family.