All 67 Alabama counties have been declared federal disaster areas and many hospitals are reporting an increase in the number of patients checking in with heat-related problems. On the streets of Birmingham, Graham and Ed Coleman work year-round, each picking up as many as 230 dead animals every day. The remains are taken to a landfill, where they're plowed under huge heaps of garbage. A bright yellow tarpaulin hides Graham's cargo from view, but it does nothing to ease the smell. Graham is used to odd looks and rude comments from passers-by.
Work is work.
Graham worries about catching a disease, so he gets regular physicals and checkups. He washes off with a mixture of bleach and water every evening before taking a shower. Graham has never had a workday where he didn't pick up a dead animal. In a city of 250,000 people, there's always something else out there to keep him busy. Recipients should seek permission to reprint the article from the source listed above.