Westmoreland County UPS driver still aims to deliver goods despite salt shortage
JEANNETTE, Pa. (KDKA) -- Jeannette remains under a state of emergency because of dwindling salt supplies amid the recent snow and ice.
That hasn't stopped one local UPS driver from ensuring his customers aren't left out in the cold.
We've all heard the unofficial motto of a postman: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night."
When Kevin Zamiskie heard the city of Jeannette declared a state of emergency, he immediately took to social media to let his customers know if his big truck couldn't make it on their streets, he would be willing to meet them in an area that was clear so they could still get their packages.
While he didn't want to be interviewed on camera, he did share with KDKA-TV why he goes above and beyond what is expected.
"People want their packages, and I take pride in getting them their packages, especially those who rely on me to deliver life-saving medication," Zamiskie said in a statement to KDKA-TV.
"We are very concerned with our residents and public safety, but if you don't have the product, our hands are tied," Jeannette Mayor Curtis Antoniak said.
While Zamiskie ensures the community gets what it needs, Mayor Antoniak says even without adequate salt, the public works department is working around the clock to plow the side streets until more salt is available.
"We do have emergency salt in case of, God forbid, a fire or ambulance calls," Mayor Antoniak added.
Jeannette isn't alone. Other municipalities are having similar issues, Antoniak says, and therein lies the problem. Their suppliers also supply outside the county and must be careful about how much salt they release.
"They do not want to run out of supply to their contract holders, so it's a catch-22. We are working on some other things and hopefully, this gets taken care of," Mayor Antoniak said.