ALTOONA, Iowa — Not all Iowans have the option to stay home when temperatures tumble— postal workers, delivery drivers, movers and more still have a job to do.
Local 5 followed a postal worker and a moving company around on Tuesday to experience their workday during these chilling temps.
It was a lot of trudging through unshovelled snow and sometimes ice to reach folks' mailboxes for Keith Brown in Altoona.
Brown said the right gear, like the cleats he wears to walk on snow and ice as well as his hat and gloves, make the job a lot easier.
"We dress in layers to help protect us from the cold," Brown said. "As long as you're moving, you really don't notice it a whole lot, though. And once you stop your skin starts to tingle a little bit and your fingers will get a little numb sometimes."
Brown also noted that he always brings an extra pair of gloves to leave on the dashboard of the mail truck to keep them warm. When his current pair gets too cold, he switches them out.
Sometimes, postal workers may stop at gas stations or stores to warm up. Postal workers won't step inside people's homes.
The slick pavement is a risk for postal workers and other delivery drivers during the winter months. You can help them out by clearing the ice from your porch and sidewalks.
If you're already running out of salt to de-ice your sidewalk, you can make your own solution with a few household items. Mix a half-gallon of warm water, six drops of liquid dish soap and two ounces of rubbing alcohol to pour on the sidewalk.
Movers are close to being in the same boat as postal workers. Two Men and a Truck worked through the bitter cold to help folks settle into their new homes during the frigid temps.
On Tuesday, driver Nate Aguirre and his team assisted a cabinet maker.
"[It's] about attitude, you know, as long as our crew has a good attitude and we're about getting it done you know, it's gonna be a positive day," Aguirre said.
Dressing warm and checking for ice are just two things to keep in mind during the winter months.
"Everything feels heavier, everything feels more intense and difficult to navigate," said Kara Berhow, the moving company's marketing manager. "It's very, very hard work."