Keep Tabs on Local Emergency Information

Government officials across the state are reaching out to people using every tool possible in order to get useful emergency information out to the public. Agencies are aware of the diverse methods which are used by various segments of the population, so they are trying hard to implement , including social media like twitter, facebook, and email, in addition to their websites.  They are also sticking to traditional media outlets such as radio and television to get their messages out.

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency has a website with current tracking of the storm along with a facebook page and a twitter feed (their twitter name is @mema_feeds).

Each county also has their own set of procedures and methods. The  Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security  offices are located very close to North Potomac at 1300 Quince Orchard Blvd.

In addition to knowing where to turn after an emergency, the best course of action is always to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Montgomery County Fire Department's Fire Chief Richard Bowers wrote a very pragmatic set of do's and don'ts in his blog about preparation for Irene and other severe storms. Members of the county Fire Department are usually the first responders in an natural disaster, so it is good to be familiar with their suggestions and procedures.

There is also County’s Alert Montgomery notification system, which people can sign up for by going to to https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov and selecting the types of emergency alerts you are interested in receiving regarding weather, severe traffic, schools, park and government facilities, athletic fields and public events; along with the devices they would like the messages sent to (cell phones, text pagers, wireless PDAs, home and work emails).