Target Field's severe weather preparedness plan

Target Field
The Minnesota Twins take on the Los Angeles Angels Monday, May 7, 2012 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Providing shelter to up to 40,000 people during a severe weather emergency is a challenge for stadium officials, but they have a comprehensive plan in place to do that when necessary.
MPR Photo/Jennifer Simonson

Target Field

•Location: 550 3rd Avenue North, Minneapolis

•Capacity: 39,500 fans.

•Staffing: Approximately 360 event staff are on duty for each game. All event staff members go through training regarding the emergency plan at the beginning of each season. The plan is reviewed each day there is a threat of severe weather will all event staff on duty that day.

•Has earned a "StormReady" designation from the National Weather Service for its severe weather planning.

Target Field
Meteorologist Craig Edwards checks the forecast for every home Twins game from his weather lab behind the visitors bench at Target Field in Minneapolis.
MPR Photo/Jennifer Simonson

Decisions on when to call a rain delay, cancel a game or implement the emergency plan are made by umpires and/or Twins executive management on a case-by-case basis. The Twins employ an onsite meterologist for each game who is also consulted.

Target Field officials say the stands can be cleared in an emergency in about 15 minutes.

They would notify fans using the public address system, messages on the scoreboards and the 650 TV screens located throughout the building.

Patrons would be moved out of the stands into covered concourses, as well as the maintenance and operation tunnel underneath the park.

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Target Field officials did not provide us a written copy of their emergency preparedness plan. They provided us a copy of their application for the NWS' StormReady program.