Chroma Technology Updates Emergency Plan After Opening as a Warming Shelter

When a winter storm in March 2023 left more than 3,000 people in the Bellows Falls and Westminster area with no power for multiple days, Chroma employee-owners volunteered to set up an impromptu warming shelter open to all in the local community. Working with the Bellows Falls Fire Department, the shelter was open for two nights, March 14 and 15, as Green Mountain Power worked to return power to the area. 

The shelter received a handful of visitors, which Chroma was happy to be able to accommodate. The shelter doors were open throughout the night to reassure the local community that if they did need emergency shelter Chroma would be available to them. 

The coordination for this effort is largely thanks to Chroma’s facilities manager Rick Holloway, who worked directly with the fire department, found volunteers for shifts around the clock, and is now working to help update the Chroma emergency response plan. 

“A very big thank you to everyone at Chroma who volunteered,” said Newell Lessell, CEO of Chroma, “And thank you to Rick Holloway for working directly with the Fire Department to organize this service to our community.”

Our employee -owners’ quick thinking and generosity enabled us to assist the community during this difficult storm.  Updating our emergency plan will ensure that we are prepared to provide timely support in the future.