Stove builder surviving the storm

It's been nearly 2 months since the Halloween storm did significant damage to parts of our region. Vermont is seeking federal disaster relief to help pay for the estimated $5 million in damage.

Dwyer Haney had his home and workshop flooded by the storm.

He's getting some help through the holidays, so that he can eventually get his start-up stove business cooking.

His company is called Cole Forge Stoves. Haney has spent the last two years building prototypes. They can be used for cooking, heating hot water and your home. The stoves are made of welded plate steel, which Haney says makes them more air tight and often times more efficient.

"Everyone should be using a wood stove like this," Haney said.

He had settled into a work space by his Hinesburg apartment earlier this year, until the Halloween storm forced him out.

"All of my tools, one of my vehicles got completely destroyed," Haney said. "It was an ugly storm. I was a little worried that it was going to sink the business, pun intended, but we've been able to pull through since then."

Haney reached out to Generator Makerspace in Burlington, a non profit with close to 1,500 members and more importantly, $250,000 worth of tools and equipment.

"We want to have a social impact and being able to help Dwyer take that next step even when there's hiccups and struggle along the way, we're really happy to help him on that front," Jon Weisbecker from Generator Makerspace said.

"This place has allowed me to completely get the business back off the ground," Haney said. "I was worried that the business wasn't going to survive after the flood, but it's been a great community here."

The the first stove that Dwyer produced when he relocated to generator is a prototype for a customer headed to Rochester, Vermont. Dwyer hopes to sell his stoves by the summer of 2020, but for now, he's open to having more prototype testers.