Who is Edward from Z for Zachariah and what is their importance?

Edward is Mr. Loomis' co-worker. Mr. Loomis and Edward both worked late the night the bombs hit New York. Edward wants to use the suit to go find his family, but Mr. Loomis is afraid that he will not come back and he will be stranded in the lab. When Edward continues to insist, even going so far as to put the suit on, Mr. Loomis shoots and kills him.