Reidsville Mail Carrier’s Quick Action Averts Tragedy

The home of Annie Will Joyce engulfed in flames as Reidsville firemen work to contain the blaze

If one listens to computer nerds, the U.S. Postal System is archaic, slow, inefficient, and should be replaced by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and futuristic yet-to-bedeveloped forms of electronic communication. But don’t tell that to Mrs. Annie Will Joyce of 176 Lloyd Street in Reidsville, GA, or any of her children or grandchildren. Mrs. Joyce’s home was destroyed by a fire Saturday morning, August 11, 2012, which started at approximately 9:30 a.m. Fortunately, her mail carrier, Glenda Durrence of Reidsville, was on her regular route and drove up to the mailbox in front of Mrs. Joyce’s home just as the fire was gaining momentum. She noticed an orange golf cart in the front yard and a man and woman standing near the cart. Then she saw the smoke billowing out of the doors and from under the eaves of the house.


Glenda jumped out of her truck and ran into the yard and asked if anyone had called 911. No one had a cell phone so she called and reported the fire. The woman in the yard said Mrs. Joyce might be inside the house as she thought she heard someone yelling for help over the sound of the fire. Glenda ran onto the screened front porch to the door where the black smoke was boiling out. She stepped inside the burning house and located Mrs. Joyce near the front door and helped her outside with the assistance of Mrs. Agnes Jackson who had followed her onto the front porch.

Later she recalled that Mrs. Joyce’s clothing was extremely hot even as they helped her sit down outside. Medical responders were on the scene shortly thereafter and assumed the responsibility for proper medical treatment. According to Ashley Durrence, the Reidsville Fire Department arrived on the scene at 9:46 a.m. and found the house totally engulfed in flames. The Reidsville Fire Department was assisted by the Georgia State Prison Fire Department, and they were able to get the fire in the main part of the house under control in about 15 minutes. It required almost two hours and lots of water to cool the hot spots in the attic. The home was a 100 percent loss. Ashley said the fire probably originated in the kitchen although the investigation was ongoing. Mrs. Joyce was alone in the house at the time.






Mrs. Joyce, who is 77 years old, suffered third degree burns on her face, arms, and back. She was transported to Optim Medical Center in Reidsville and then transferred to the Burn Unit in Augusta. According to family members, she underwent surgery on Monday to graft skin on the most severely burned areas. Doctors thought the surgery was a success, but it will be several days before a more complete diagnosis of her condition can be made. Obviously she is in considerable pain from the burns. It is unclear exactly how the fire started and why Mrs. Joyce was unable to get outside sooner. But, most observers think she was about to be overcome by heat and smoke inhalation and might have succumbed inside the building had it not been for Glenda Durrence’s quick response at the scene. Glenda maintains that she simply reacted as anyone should have. She knows Mrs. Joyce (and the other people on her mail route) and she is thankful she was in a position where she could help. “I thank God for putting me at the right place at the right time and helping me do the right things. Also, I couldn’t have done it without the help of Mrs. Jackson and those people in the orange golf cart. They helped me get her outside,” said Glenda. “After the medical people and
fire departments arrived, I left to finish my route,” she said. “Then everything hit me and I fell apart a little. I had to call and talk to my husband Dennis. I hope Mrs. Annie Will’s burns aren’t too bad and she’ll be okay.”

Glenda Durrence, Reidsville mail carrier, saved Annie Will Joyce from her
burning home

The Reidsville Postmaster, Dawn Hawkland, said rural mail carriers are trained to be aware of situations and conditions on their routes and look for unusual signs that things might not be right around or in the homes of the people on their routes. They notice things like uncollected mail in boxes or anything that might indicate some kind of problem and notify authorities. Also, for some of the older folks on rural routes, the mail carrier is the only one that sees them on a regular basis. “Glenda reacted just like she should have. We are really proud of her,” said Dawn.

Those who know Glenda aren’t surprised that she quickly surveyed the situation and took immediate action. She works with her husband, Dennis Durrence, to sell tomatoes and sweet potatoes at their farm on Hwy 57 South of Reidsville during those seasons, and she takes care of six chicken houses in addition to running her mail route every day. Earl Boyett says he has seen Glenda on a tractor plowing after dark more than once. It’s obvious she doesn’t wait around for other people to get a job done. That attitude may be the reason Mrs. Annie Will Joyce is alive.

Posted in Tattnall Journal. Written by Ronald E. McCall