Anchorage — While Anchorage, AK, Muldoon Station City Carrier Kermit Arroyo was delivered mail along his route, he encountered a startling sight. Severe flames poured out from the garage door of a customer’s home and threatened to consume the entire house.

Arroyo immediately jumped into action. He dialed 911 to alert the fire department before rushing to the front door of the home. Arroyo banged on the front door to get the owner’s attention, racing against the clock to reach anyone inside before the deadly fire could spread indoors. Within moments, a man answered the door.

When the homeowner realized the extreme danger he was in, he retrieved his cat and waited outside with Arroyo for emergency responders to arrive. Though the customer’s garage was a total loss, the home remained intact with only a moderate level of smoke and water damage.

"I'm just doing my job," Arroyo said. “I watch out for my neighborhood.”
Alaska USPS District Manager Ron Haberman believes  Arroyo’s actions go beyond a typical day’s work.

“Kermit is a true hero. His actions saved a customer’s life, and I’m thankful to have him on our team,” said Haberman.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service delivers nearly half the world’s mail.

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