BOSTON—With much of the greater Boston area locked down this morning in the manhunt for the alleged bombers of the Boston Marathon, credit unions are dealing with a mass police presence and the shutdown of schools and public transit—and in some cases, entire towns.
But one tiny credit union has stayed open to serve the people who serve: first responders including local police and firefighters involved in the manhunt. Waltham Municipal Employees CU, Waltham, Mass., is always open for just a few hours until 12:30 p.m. every Friday-and today was no different, despite the fact that the entire town is largely shut down.
"The only reason I'm here is that I'm actually a firefighter, and I knew that the police and firefighters were going to need to be able to come to the credit union," said CEO Michael J. Davis. "Basically, there's just one sandwich shop and a Dunkin Donuts that's still open here. People who got in before the shutdown or didn't know about the shutdown until they got here."Davis said most first responders in the area are working 12-hour shifts, and he's seen police from nearby Watertown, which has been the epicenter of the manhunt, as the came off shift to go get some rest before facing another 12-hour shift to come.
While the Massachusetts CU League said its employees are in the office, which is located well outside the affected area, credit unions in Watertown, Mass., where the police believe they have one of the alleged bombers surrounded, are apparently not in their offices. No one is answering the phone this morning at Watertown Municipal Credit Union, nor is anyone answering Cambridge Municipal Employees FCU or Newton Municipal CU.
Indeed, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and local police are asking businesses in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Belmont and surrounding areas to remain closed and for people to stay off the streets until the situation is resolved.
