Royal Oak Letter Carriers Attempt Mail Delivery During Polar Vortex

With all the snow that fell across Royal Oak, residents are wondering how and when they will get their mail.

"As with yesterday, we will attempt delivery," said John Dick, a Royal Oak letter carrier. "Yesterday, the issue was the snow, today the issue is the cold."

The rare polar vortex occurring this week, which has sent a large blast of freezing cold air down from the North Pole, tends to happen only once every couple decades or so. Wind chill values today are expected to drop down as low as 30 degrees below zero in town.

Dick said delivery in this harsh weather is a safety concern and it's up to each letter carrier to make his or her own judgement call.

"If people feel it's getting unsafe, we want them to come back and get out of the cold," he said. "And we don't want anyone out there after 5 p.m. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

Royal Oak shows its compassion

On Monday, Dick noted Royal Oak residents went out of their way to be kind and understanding.

"My truck got stuck and people pushed me. Others let me park in their driveways," Dick said. "At one house, some little girls that were home from school waited for me all day with some hot chocolate to help keep me warm. That kind of stuff makes a difference."

Many people were simply surprised to see him, Dick said. 

"They said, 'We didn't think we would see you today.' People went out of their way to say 'thanks,'" he said.