(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Rain, sleet, snow, and now smoke. No matter what the conditions are, there are some jobs that have to take place outside including being a letter carrier.
“I like walking outdoors,” said U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, David Lantz. “I like interacting with people and this job gives me both of those things.”
Lantz has been a postman for more than 30 years. He says he’s never seen air quality this poor.
“This is like the foggy nature of San Francisco in the summer,” said Lantz. “I have never seen anything like this, nothing even close.”
Lantz carries on; walking seven hours a day, despite working in smoke so thick you can barely see the sun.
“I notice a little in my eyes, my contacts are irritated a little bit today but outside of that that’s it,” said Lantz. “I haven’t had any problems breathing and I don’t notice anything yet and I’ve been working all day.”
Lantz has chosen not to wear a mask because he doesn’t think they are very effective.
“I don’t really think it’s going to be that bad for more than a day or two,” he said. “You just have to get through it.”
Lantz doesn’t feel bad for himself he says the people we should worry about are those who are homeless or have health problems.