Liberty, NY — U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe recently recognized Rural Letter Carrier Sherri Kavleski for saving the life of a resident on her Liberty NY delivery route.
On the afternoon of June 5, Ms. Kavleski was delivering mail when she noticed a fire at the house of an older couple on her route. She promptly parked her vehicle, ran to the front door, and knocked to alert the residents. There was no reply. The Liberty New York rural carrier quickly grabbed the resident’s garden hose and extinguished the fire. Once the fire was out, the rural carrier knocked on the door again and discovered the female occupant was home; but was unable to come to the door. Her husband was not at home at the time of the fire. The husband would later thank Kavleski for saving his wife’s life and for preventing the destruction of the couple’s home.
“I want to commend your heroism and selfless display of civic duty,” wrote the Postmaster General in a July 26 congratulatory letter to Ms. Kavleski. “I am proud of your conduct during this emergency,” continued Doanhoe. “We are fortunate to have an employee of your caliber represent this organization. Thank you and well done,” concluded the Postal Service’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Sherri has an outstanding record with the U.S. Postal Service and is a model Rural Letter Carrier that we can all be proud of,” emphasizes Liberty Postmaster James Burns.
“Sherri Kavleski’s heroic efforts are reflective of the spirit, pride, and commitment that Westchester postal employees have for the communities where they work and live,” said USPS Westchester District Manager Joseph Lubrano.
Each year, postal employees go beyond the call of duty and risk their own safety to save the lives of the customers they serve. In 2012, the Postal Service recognized 313 employee heroes from across the nation.
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