Santa Fe Emergency officials say city was ready for record low temperatures

From the Santa Fe New Mexican.com - Emergency managers in Santa Fe say they were ready for the worst when record low temperatures precipitated a gas crisis in Northern New Mexico the first week in February. But at least one potential problem emerged: Santa Fe does not have many large buildings that do not rely on natural gas for heat and could serve as overnight shelters. When mercury began dropping and rural communities started losing natural-gas service, City Emergency Management Director Joyce Purley was making phone calls. Purley said she was surprised to learn that only the Santa Fe Community College and the Santa Fe Place shopping mall could fit the bill. But, while the mall was willing to allow people to hang out during business hours to escape the cold, management was not keen on the idea of being an overnight shelter, Purley said. "There were only two places where their heat did not run off natural gas. That was crazy," she said. "We are hoping that we can find more, especially now that things have died down." Read more

Santa Fe Emergency officials say city was ready for record low temperatures