Minnesota officials are responding to the possibility of a natural gas shortage following the explosion that has shut down three Xcel Energy pipelines that service the upper Midwest.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety gave this information in a release it issued Sunday:
The Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management division (HSEM) is in contact with state, local and voluntary partners to coordinate any potential resource requests due to possible interruptions of natural gas service.
This includes coordination with North Dakota for any future needs. At this time, there are no plans to move resources or people between the two states.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is coordinating with North Dakota emergency management for sheltering of hospital and long term care residents should that be necessary. They are participating in planning conference calls and compiling bed counts. There is no need to move patients at this time.
The DPS Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS) is coordinating with Xcel Energy to make sure state, county and local responders have continuous updates about the situation and any possible interruptions of service.
The Red Cross (ARC) is coordinating with emergency management and local public health to identify possible public shelter locations. ARC staff are on stand-by for any potential needs.