Letter Carrier Willie Shannon was delivering mail one day last summer in a Sacramento, CA, neighborhood when he spotted a balcony on fire.
Shannon sprang into action, calling 911 while knocking on doors at the four-unit apartment building to let customers know there was an emergency.
The Postal Service employee then used a garden hose to battle the blaze until firefighters arrived and took over.
“Without Willie stepping up, the whole building could have been lost and residents could have been hurt or worse,” said local Customer Services Manager Kamaljit Kaur.