Workers Across Atlanta Brave Cold Temperatures To Get The Job Done
Emme Hillman, visiting from Florida, take a photo of a frozen water fountain in downtown Atlanta, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018.
David Goldman / Associated Press
High temperatures did not make it out of the 40’s this week and Friday was no different. The high was forecasted to reach the mid-30s, and the wind chill made it feel more like it was in the 20s.
For people’s whose jobs keep them outside, braving the cold has been a daily goal.
Antwan Traylor delivers packages for FedEx and spends 10-12 hours outside each day. He said the best way to deal with the cold is movement.
“I just try to keep it moving,” Traylor said. “Just stay layered up just like I would be if I was playing sports. I just keep moving and try not to think about it.”
Traylor has worked for FedEx for about 10 years and said they offered tips for staying warm such as staying hydrated or going inside when necessary.
But Allon Johnson has had a different experience with the weather. He’s been a construction worker for more than 30 years and said the weather, although not the coldest he’s faced, hasn’t been pleasant.
“It’s been rough,” Johnson said. “I got hand warmers on and my hands are still numb.”
Nicholas Womack has worked in construction for 18 years. He offered a different take on the near-freezing cold saying isn’t as bad as the hottest summer days.
“I can go sit in that van and get warm at any time,” Womack said. “When it’s 100 percent humidity and 100 degrees out in the sun, you can turn the air conditioning on but it’s just not the same. As soon as you step back out you’re drenched in sweat and it feels like it’s killing you.”
Womack said he spends about eight to 11 hours outside.
High temperatures are expected to climb back into the 40’s on Monday and could reach the high 50’s by late next week.
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