|
Minnesota Department of Health staff touring the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant
Staff from the Public Health Lab, Emergency Preparedness and Response, and Environmental Health recently toured the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The group supports the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program through training, drills, and exercises.
Besides a briefing on plant operations, the group toured several key areas of the plant including the:
- Control room
- Onsite emergency center
- Turbine and generator
- Spent fuel pool
- Top of a reactor
The tour guides explained that the plant has been continually updated over the years and has incorporated lessons learned from the Three Mile Island and Fukushima events in 1979 and 2011, respectively. Others noted that the visit helped with offering plant tour guides a look at the breadth of MDH’s response capabilities and the depth of training among its staff.
Command staff participate in a Department Operations Center orientation
This year, the Education and Exercise Team located within the EPR division, launched new Department Operations Center (DOC) orientations. The trainings have not been offered in nearly five years, and staff are excited to bring them back. The DOC is the designated space where MDH staff gather, in person and virtually, to coordinate and plan during an incident. The DOC is where responders review incident details, determine notifications, identify which Incident Command System roles are or should be activated, and prepare materials needed to develop an Incident Action Plan.
During the orientations, responders are introduced to the layout and resources within the DOC, including section-specific work areas such as Planning and Operations. Staff also walk through how to locate and use response binders and other key tools. The orientation provides a safe learning environment for responders to ask questions and build confidence before a real emergency occurs.
Throughout 2026, the Education and Exercise Team will continue offering DOC orientations for all Command and General Staff roles.
Emergency Preparedness and Response staff touring State Emergency Operations Center
EPR staff recently toured the new State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), located in Blaine. The SEOC acts as the central hub where Minnesota coordinates its response to disasters and large-scale emergencies. When activated, the governor, the state director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and agency leaders from across the state gather there to direct response and recovery efforts. The SEOC brings together a wide range of partners, including public health, emergency management, law enforcement, utilities, federal agencies, and county and tribal governments, to share information, allocate resources and make unified decisions. Its design, technology and workspace support the high level of coordination needed during fast-moving events.
For EPR, seeing the SEOC in action strengthens our understanding of where our work fits within the broader statewide response system. The SEOC operates under various activation levels, from routine monitoring to full activation for major incidents requiring state and federal support. During these activations, EPR plays a role in providing situational awareness, public health communication and support to local partners. The tour gave staff a clearer picture of how our planning, communication strategies and partnerships connect to the governor-led emergency operations that guide Minnesota through crises.
A recent crisis and emergency risk communication series brought together more than 200 communicators and local partners to strengthen messaging during public health emergencies. The sessions were led by Christy Becthold, Emergency Preparedness and Response communications planner, and Cory Couillard, rural health communications specialist in the MDH Communications Office.
Strategies included segmenting audiences, tailoring messages and coordinating with partners. Presenters emphasized the importance of identifying focus audiences and understanding their needs to create messages and approaches that improve consistency, clarity and reach during an emergency. Christy and Cory look forward to continuing to work with partners statewide to strengthen crisis communication readiness in 2026.
|
