Public Safety

• If there is an emergency, County residents should call 911.  The Police non-emergency number is 301-279-8000.  Please do not call 911 with snow plowing questions, as that delays responses to emergency calls.

• Residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Montgomery to have emergency alerts, notifications and updates sent to a cell phone, e-mail address, PDA, Twitter or Facebook.

• Stay safe.  Stay off the roads if at all possible.  Also, be careful of not to overexert yourself when shoveling.

• To report snow removal problems, downed trees, social service needs or other storm-related issues, call 240-777-6000.

• To report “hot” wires or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, call 911.

•  For power outages, call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662, Allegheny Power at 1-800-255-3443 or Baltimore Gas and Electric at 1-877-778-2222.

•  Clear snow away from fire hydrants if you are able.  If not, mark them with some sort of flag (even a broomstick will do).

• The shelter at Richard Montgomery High School, 2500 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville, remains open.  Transport to the center is being handled by County volunteers with four-wheel drive vehicles and by Maryland National Guard Members.  Two more shelters have opened at the Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Center in Silver Spring and Seneca Valley High School in Germantown.

• If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle and would like to volunteer, call 240-777-2600.

• Montgomery County’s Fire and Rescue Service urges residents without power to be aware that using gas or charcoal grills, propane heaters and stoves, kerosene space heaters or generators indoors can be fatal.  They are a source of carbon monoxide, which can build up indoors and cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Montgomery County government’s cable television channel—County Cable Montgomery, which can be viewed on Channel 6 on the Comcast and RCN cable systems and Channel 30 on Verizon—is continuing to feature live coverage of road conditions at all major traffic intersections.

• Suspension of enforcement of parking restrictions in all public parking garages and lots will continue through Thursday.

• You can find information on County plowing policies and procedures on the County Web site.

• For a street that may have been missed by County plows, report it via the County Web site.

• For County Council weather-related schedule changes, call 240-777-7900.

•  Within 24 hours of the end of a snowstorm, all residential and commercial property owners are required by county law to clear their sidewalks. Residents are encouraged to help elderly or ill neighbors with this task. Snow shoveling services for a fee are listed through a web search ("snow removal services, Montgomery County, Maryland") or through the yellow pages ("landscaping and maintenance services"). Casa de Maryland, a non-profit organization, may also be able to provide fee-based services, and can be reached at 301-431-4177 or 301-431-4185.

• Montgomery County Police report that as some roads become more passable, drivers are increasing their speed. However, motorists are advised that they may encounter varying conditions on the same stretch of road, as plowing operations continue.

• If a County plow has damaged your mailbox, the County will install a standard post and mailbox at your residence as soon as all snow plowing is completed. Call 240-777-6000 to file a report. If you have a non-standard mailbox, call the County’s Risk Management Division at 240-777-8920. In the meantime, a temporary mailbox will be installed.

• Montgomery County Public Library customers are asked not to return library materials until libraries reopen and are asked not to leave materials outside the library buildings. Materials due Feb. 5 through Feb. 10 will have their due dates extended one week. No fines will be charged for the period from Friday, Feb. 5, through Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Originally posted February 9, 2010