Submitted Photo Paul Henke, a disaster response team volunteer from Fargo, is shown with the Red Cross emergency response truck in this photo by teammate Patty Lindholm. Henke and Lindholm, of Moorhead, Minn., left Tuesday for Florida, where they will help with Hurricane Ian disaster emergency efforts.

Teams of disaster response volunteers from Fargo, Rapid City, South Dakota, Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota, are responding to the Hurricane Ian disaster emergency in Florida.

Lynette Nyman, a Minneapolis-based spokeswoman for the American Red Cross Minnesota-Dakotas Region, said the Fargo team of disaster response volunteers Paul Henke of Fargo and Patty Lindholm of Moorhead, Minnesota, left for Florida on Tuesday with an emergency response vehicle. She said they are heading to Orlando, Florida, the staging area for Hurricane Ian disaster emergency efforts.

Nyman said more than 60 responders with the Red Cross Minnesota-Dakotas Region are on standby to help with hurricane response efforts.

She said the disaster response volunteers called to the area usually will be there for two to three weeks but could be asked to remain longer.

Nyman said those who would like to contribute to the American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region to help with Hurricane Ian disaster relief can visit redcross.org/mndaks.

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Xcel sends hurricane support

MINNEAPOLIS — Xcel Energy is sending support to Florida for restoration efforts as Hurricane Ian makes landfall. Xcel Energy is providing about 270 contract workers who are currently en route.

The company’s support could possibly grow as the Category 4 storm hovers on the brink of being classified as a Category 5 hurricane. The lineworkers are from Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas.

“When the call for help comes in, Xcel Energy and the entire electric industry answers that call,” says Bob Frenzel, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy. “When our customers experience adverse conditions, we know that they would do the same for us. It’s imperative that the electric companies work together to ensure the resiliency of our essential product as storm volatility increases.” 

Xcel Energy is part of the Edison Electric Institute’s Mutual Assistance program. Following major storms that bring significant outages, electric companies use this program – a voluntary partnership of electric companies from across the country – to help speed restoration.