Braving The Heat Outside The Lubbock Field Office

     From a television station in Lubbock, TX:

Many community members braved the heat for hours outside of the Social Security Administration Building. Most, waiting for hours as the building only allows 14 people inside at a time. 

“I think it’s very inconsiderate and I think they should take the necessary measures to provide us with some kind of shelter. I mean, we’re already standing together out here, what’s the difference between being crowded out here and being inside?” said John Buentello who was already waiting in line for 45 minutes. 

Many residents attempted to make it out to the office several times before. 

“Today is day three of trying to get my name changed from being married. 

I’m super grateful because I’m physically able to stand in this heat for that long but we have already seen a couple elderly people here that are obviously struggling,” said Ashley Sharp who waited approximately two hours to be seen. 

Community members have waited in temperatures in the upper 90s outside of the building. 

“About an hour and fifteen minutes in the line and into waiting, there was a lady that they wheeled over to load up in an ambulance that had fainted in line because it was very hot that day,” said Donna Bowels, who had waited in line a previous day. ...

    What I've seen over the years is that reporters pay attention to what's being reported by other news media outlets. They're always looking for new stories to cover. If they read that people are waiting in line in the heat outside the Houston or Lubbock Social Security offices, they may drop by the Waco or Fort Worth field offices to see whether there's a line in their community. If there are many offices with lines outside the building, there may be many more of these stories and not just in Texas.