Sanitation workers have always had a dirty job. Now it has become more dangerous due to Covid-19. But they’re heartened by the recent expressions of gratitude showing the public appreciates their willingness to put themselves in harm’s way. “A lot of people wave or give us a thumb up,” said sanitation worker Korry Smith, part of a three-person crew emptying blue totes along May Street Tuesday on the East Side. It’s one of the 10 to 12 city blocks a typical shift calls for. “Given the severity of the situation, I know a lot of people are panicked, and doing our job is a stress reliever for them, and they appreciate it,” Smith said.
Olivia Truman, the truck’s driver, said she also notices a difference. “People come out, they talk to the guys, they thank us and sometimes offer water or juice,” Truman said. While most of the public was staying indoors Tuesday, trying to limit public exposure, Smith and partner Tyler Fonbille were wheeling and emptying garbage cans as the 12-ton truck moved intermittently up the street.
Smith and Fonbille, wearing face masks and two sets of gloves, flipped back the lids of the totes and slid them on the two tippers used to empty the contents. The truck’s sweep blade then compacted the load, pushing it toward the front of the truck. “My job has changed dramatically,” Smith said. “It’s been an adjustment because a lot of people are staying home and we still have to come out to work.”
Smith, who has worked 12 years in sanitation, said he thinks being physically fit reduces the chance he will get the novel coronavirus. “I get a lot of exercise every day and my lungs are strong,” Smith said. But he admits being worried at times. “I am still worried about my life, but what can I do?” Smith said. “I got to pay my bills and take care of my family.”