Montgomery County officials are urging residents to take advantage of the County’s automated warning system—Alert Montgomery.  

In an emergency, staff from the County’s Homeland Security Department send text messages to email accounts, cell phones, pagers, Blackberrys and wireless PDAs.  In addition to emergency alerts, residents can sign up for information about severe traffic delays and severe weather.  Residents of the City of Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park can also sign up for their municipal alert systems from the county website.  Residents already signed up for their municipal alert systems will automatically receive the Montgomery County messages. 

To sign up for the personal warning system, go to the County home page at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ and click on Alert Montgomery.  Residents can choose to have the emergency alerts, notifications and updates sent to one or more of their electronic communication devices.  The service is free of charge, although residents may be charged by their wireless carriers to receive the text messages.

County residents are also urged to educate themselves about emergency planning and personal preparation.  The County’s “Plan to Be Safe” campaign includes a tri-fold “Plan 9” brochure with pictures and simple text listing the essential items (water, food, clothes, medications, flashlight, manual can opener, battery powered radio, hygiene items and first aid kit).  Another component of the campaign is a brochure, “Everybody Ready,” describing three steps to prepare: start a conversation, make a plan, and make a kit.  The brochure is printed in nine languages, including Cambodian, Farsi, Spanish and Russian. For more information on the “Plan to Be Safe” campaign, go to http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/  and click on the link for emergency preparedness or call
240-777-3038.

New Parking Alert System Begins at Glenmont Parking Garage

The Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation’s (DPWT) Division of Operations began a pilot parking information system for the Glenmont Metro Station Parking Garage.  This federally funded demonstration project will monitor parking at the garage through a system of detectors that will count the vehicles entering and leaving the garage. When the garage is full, variable message signs on Georgia Avenue and Norbeck Road will automatically notify motorists heading to the Metro station to use the Norbeck Road Park ‘N Ride Lot (just east of Maryland Route 97/ Maryland Route 28) instead.  Ride On Bus Route 51 and Metrobus Routes Y5 and Y7 provide service between the Norbeck Road Park ‘N Ride Lot and the Glenmont Metro station.  Also, in the afternoon, Ride On Route 53 stops on Georgia Avenue at the Norbeck Park ‘N ride Lot.  Another sign on Layhill Road will direct motorists to the Wheaton Metro Station parking garage. DPWT expects the parking information to be more than 90 percent accurate as the system is tested during the pilot stage.

New Call Center Now Available for Department of Public Works and Transportation Operations; Single Phone Number Will Make Services Easier to Access. 

The Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) has launched a new Operations Call Center that will provide residents with a single phone number to access most DPWT services.  The new phone number is (240) 777-6000.  The Consolidated Customer Service Center will be staffed by information and referral specialists Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Having a single phone number available is a great way of ensuring that information about road maintenance and traffic management is easy to find.  Questions, concerns or requests for highway maintenance, traffic and some parking issues will all be handled through the new Call Center, including the following specific services: potholes, sidewalks, road resurfacing and paving, tree maintenance, mowing, storm drainage, leaf vacuuming, snow removal, traffic signals and signs, streetlights, street name signs, lane markings and crosswalks, traffic calming measures, subdivision development plan review, parking policies, and the parking lot districts.  The Call Center unit is staffed by a group of highly qualified individuals whose goal is to provide excellent customer service and simplify the process for requesting assistance."

Discount Prescription Drug Card Plan for Residents

County Executive Duncan announced a new discount prescription drug card plan that will help County residents save money on prescription medications. Advance PCS, a division of Caremark Rx, of Nashville, Tennessee, will distribute free discount drug cards to every Montgomery County household, through an agreement with the National Association of Counties (NACo). County residents will be able to use their ‘Montgomery Rx’ card at participating pharmacies and save an average of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed medications. With the Montgomery Rx card, County residents can visit more than 130 participating pharmacies in Montgomery County, including both chain stores and independently owned pharmacies. There is no enrollment fee for the card and it can be used by any resident, regardless of age, income level or existing health coverage. The card is not insurance, but provides a discount off the retail price of prescription medications. Higher discounts will be available on select medications, as well as high-tech and injectable drugs.