Karla Laws was in the right place at the right time last week.
Laws has been a letter carrier with Canada Post for 11 years. Over the years, she has gotten to know many of the neighbours on her routes. Along with other posties, Laws is often first on the scene of emergencies.
Last week, Laws was delivering on a route that she had only been working on for three months.
鈥淚 was delivering mail on a regular route and came out a back alley when I saw a toddler running across the road,鈥� she said.
Concerned, Laws picked up the pace and ran out to see if there were any parents around. Seeing no one, she yelled out to the young boy, who was running and laughing down the road.
鈥淚 called out to a neighbour who was walking down the road, who helped me track him down, and then called 911,鈥� Laws said.
At the same time, the boy鈥檚 parents were frantic and, when they noticed he was missing, called the police and headed in the opposite direction to the park.
鈥淚 held on to him and entertained him until the police came and they had gotten the call from his parents, so they knew where he belonged,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t turned out they just moved onto my route. Their puppy had chewed the safety handles off the door and the boy let himself and the puppies out.鈥�
By the time Laws continued her route and made it to their home, she saw the family, complete with their two-year-old boy and dogs, reunited.
鈥淚t was good timing,鈥� Laws said. 鈥淚 am just thankful that I was there at the right time.鈥�
Laws and coworker Mieka Guerin said these types of incidents occur more often than people realize.
Another coworker was at the scene of a garage fire where they rescued the pet dog and saved the home from burning down.
鈥淲e get to know the neighbours, what they are doing and their pets,鈥� Guerin said. 鈥淭hey become part of our family. I have about 500 points of call and will know if something is out of place.鈥�
That is something the two Canada Post employees want to emphasize after the company鈥檚 announcement last year that door-to-door service would gradually be eliminated over the next four years. 鈥淭his is one of the things that will be lost with the loss of door-to-door service,鈥� Guerin said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just delivering your mail,鈥� Laws agreed.
