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As scorching temperatures continue to mount in Dallas, Eugene Gates, a 66-year-old man who worked for USPS for nealry 40 years, died on June 20 while working his route in a city's neighborhood. On Tuesday, Eugene went to work to complete his route out of the USPS Lakewood branch in Dallas when he reportedly collapsed. The news was shared by his wife, Carla Gates, to Fox News.
Upon finding Gates collapsed on the street, a homeowner in the Dallas neighborhood reportedly performed CPR at the scene before alerting authorities. Carla Gates told the publication that she later received a call saying her husband had been rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
While officials have yet to confirm the cause of death, they noted that the extreme heat conditions in Dallas, Texas, could be a factor since Eugene died on one of the hottest days of the season when the temperature soared above 110 degrees.
USPS consoles the loss of their employee Euge Gates in a Dallas neighborhood
In the wake of Eugene Gates's passing, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released a statement condoling the loss of their employee. They said:
"The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of life suffered yesterday involving a Lakewood Post Office Letter Carrier. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time."
While the USPS did not confirm if Eugene Gates' death was a heat-related incident, in a statement to ABC News, they stated they have a Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) to educate employees about protecting themselves from blistering conditions.
"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.”
As the Gates family continues to mourn the loss of a family member, Eugene Gates' wife told Fox News that they are waiting to hear the cause of the death, adding that she’s been trying to get in contact with the postal service but is being sidelined.
Authorities issue heat alerts amid record-high temperatures
On Wednesday, June 21, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma residents were asked to stay safe amid rapidly rising temperatures in the area. The temperature reportedly reached triple digits this week as authorities warned people to conserve power since the blistering heat conditions are expected to skyrocket throughout June.
On Wednesday, a 62-year-old Louisiana woman from Caddo Parish was found dead in an area without power for an extended time due to a storm-related incident. Authorities confirmed that Caddo Parish succumbed to persisting heat conditions in the state.
A report from the National Weather Service said that hundreds of people die every year in the United States due to scorching weather conditions. They warned people to stay indoors or in shaded areas and drink plenty of fluids to avoid heat strokes.
