BOULDER, Colo. — Several employees of the $720 million Elevations Credit Union spent eight harrowing hours stuck in their vehicles during the back-to-back snowstorms that crippled large portions of Colorado during the holidays.
"Everyone got home safe but we did have employees who were trapped in traffic as they tried to commute to their homes in Denver," said Sue Bailhache, manager of community/public relations describing the CU's ordeal as it, like other Denver area CUs, coped with the storms that closed Elevations and several other CUs over several days.
The $720 million Elevations, with six branches in Boulder County, reopened last Friday after being closed for two-and-a-half days after the first storm began.
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The Credit Union Association of Colorado reported that Elevations' "management took extra precautions and chose to close again when a second storm arrived a week later. Although the offices were officially closed during the storms, key staff came in to handle critical functions such as posting wire transfers and handling investment transactions."
The CUAC noted also that "Elevations Credit Union has pre-established contingency plans on how to communicate unexpected closings to staff, members and the community at large. Even before the storm arrived, employees received reminders on weather policies and how to get information about closures."
Elevations' Web site and telephone system were also continually updated with messages on its status. The CUAC said members have been "very understanding and supportive of the credit union's decision to close and employees fully appreciated the concern for their safety."
On Dec. 30, Golden Plains Credit Union in Garden City, Kan. closed following power outages that hit western Kansas as part of the same blockbuster storm that rolled out of the Colorado foothills into Kansas and New Mexico shutting down operations. By mid-week, one of Golden Plains' branches in Quinter, Kan. remained closed. –[email protected]
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