When Canberra's summer heat hits, veteran posties employ old techniques to keep cool - drinking plenty of water, taking breaks in the shade and keeping their skin covered up.
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But a little sign on a letter box, inviting them to come inside for a cool drink or collect one from an esky out the front, can make the midday run turn from bearable to a whole lot better.
"I really appreciate it and it does amaze me that people think about us that much," said Australia Post officer Richard Hutchings, who delivers to Kambah residents.
"Most people I meet on a really hot day ask if you want a drink, but doing it like that, with a sign on the letter box, it's there in front of you and you don't have to ask."
An extreme heatwave across the ACT, in which the national capital set a record for its longest run of days above 40 degrees, has seen locals leap to the aid of workers doing it tough outside.
Chrystale Langford and her family are just one across the territory who've stuck a sign to their letter box, offering posties, and others working in the heat, an "icy cold drink" when they pass outside.
"We keep water bottles in the fridge and one of the triplets is always on the lookout for the postman," said Mrs Langford, who lives in Oxley.
"When they see him they run to the door and yell out to the others, 'He's here!""
Amaroo resident and paramedic Richard Forshaw took his mission to help others further than his front yard, starting the Facebook page 'Put Your Eskys Out' to encourage others to offer up a hand in the extreme heat.
He says his original post on Facebook, which explained his plan to put out cold drinks and prompted the creation of the page, has since been viewed by about 10,000 people.
"The symptoms of heat exhaustion can go on for days. If people get ill and go out again the next day and do the same thing, the cycle repeats itself," he said.
"What I wanted from it was just for people to say, that's a good thing to do .... and now I've been getting messages from people [who are doing it]. It gives me a sense of satisfaction.
"It's the Australian thing to do."
An ACT Government spokesperson said the government has enacted its Extreme Heat Plan to help locals cope during this intense period.
Canberra’s Child and Family Centres in Tuggeranong, West Belconnen and Gungahlin are offering shelter from the weather as well as free water and tea/coffee facilities every day.
St Vincent de Paul have been delivering water, especially to homeless and vulnerable Canberrans, in their night patrol services.
Contact ACT is providing cold bottles of water at the Griffin Centre shopfront, and Pilgrim House in the CBD is providing frozen water bottles.
