Montgomery County Department of Public Safety

08/20/2026

A Tornado Watch is in effect for Montgomery County, PA until 10pm tonight (Thursday). If you receive a Tornado Warning or see or hear a tornado, move immediately to take shelter in the lowest level of a substantial structure. If no basement is available, go to an interior room away from windows and doors.

Portions of the area initially under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch have now been upgraded to a Tornado Watch.

08/20/2026

On Tuesday night, 18 of our Urban Search and Rescue specialists spent the evening refreshing their skill sets, focusing on the use of wood-based “A” frames, the Paratech Bipod, and grip hoist operations.

Members were divided into two squads, each with a specific task. Squad 1 constructed a wood A-frame using 6x6 lumber to lift and move a section of concrete, while Squad 2 performed the same task using the Paratech Bipod system. Each group built their system based on a 45-degree angle, allowing for a 7.5’ reach on the wood A-frame and a 10.5’ reach on the Paratech system. Members also integrated the Paratech Guardian, which allowed them to confirm the estimated weights of the object being lifted and the angle of the legs to ensure they were operating within specifications.

Setups like these are utilized when cranes are not currently available or cannot access the scene. They allow for the lifting and movement of loads to gain access to blocked openings or potentially trapped subjects.

08/20/2026

Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to impact Montgomery County, PA today (Thursday). Hazards will include heavy rain leading to flash flooding, as well as severe threats (strong winds, tornadoes, and hail). Please monitor the forecast and stay weather-aware this afternoon and evening!

08/14/2026

⛈️ Showers and storms are expected to impact the region on Sunday. Heavy rainfall potentially leading to flash flooding appears to be the main threat, though a few severe storms are also possible.

Aside from an isolated shower/storm, Saturday will be dry and the pick of the weekend. Highs in the 80s and humidity even a bit lower than today. Have a great weekend, and be sure to keep an eye on the weather for Sunday!

08/14/2026

Last week, 16 members of our Urban Search and Rescue Team completed a shoring drill. The exercise focused on converting a 2-post wood shore into a lace-post shore, and concluded with building a column shore using our Paratech column kits.

The drill began with members arriving to find two partially built 2-post shores, simulating structures put in place by first-arriving responders. Members were tasked with assessing the existing shores and converting them into lace-post shores to capture the load above. When built properly utilizing 4x4 lumber, a lace-post shore can manage a 32,000-pound load, making it a highly stable Class 3 shore.

Once each squad completed the lace-post shore, they collaborated to build two Paratech column shores designed to support a compromised vertical column holding up two I-beams. This training session in an acquired structure provided excellent practice with Class 3 shores and successfully enhanced our specialists’ skill sets.

08/13/2026

Last week, 13 members of our Hazardous Materials Response Team completed a trailering review at the Emergency Operations Center. Technicians had to successfully navigate both Foam 81-1 (foam trailer) and our Special Operations tilt deck trailer through a course that required alley docking, serpentine, lane change, diminishing lane, and offset backing, as well as regular driving and turns. The evening wrapped up with a review of proper hitching and unhitching procedures and trailer inspections.

08/13/2026

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to our partners in Abington, Bridgeport, Lansdale, Marlborough, Royersford, and West Norriton for inviting our staff to attend their National Night Out events this month! We truly enjoyed getting out to meet all of the residents who stopped by at our tables to say hello!

08/10/2026

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Montgomery County, PA until 9 PM tonight (Monday). Hazards may include strong winds, hail, lightning, and heavy rain. Be prepared to take action if a severe storm impacts your neighborhood!

**This is no longer in effect**

Monday 2 PM update: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the region through 9 PM this evening. For the latest watch and warning information, visit www.weather.gov/phi for the latest radar visit radar.weather.gov

07/31/2026

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: Our Law Enforcement Division is partnering with the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute to offer three of their high-demand courses this fall!

• Mastering Law Enforcement Field Training (FTO): 10/26/26 through 10/30/26 ($834 per person)
• Field Training Coordinator/Supervisor: 11/23/26 through 11/25/26 ($569 per person)
• Instructor Development: 12/07/26 through 12/11/26 ($834 per person)

All three courses will be held at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus (1175 Conshohocken Road, Conshohocken, PA 19428).

For additional information and to register, visit https://jasi.psu.edu/cjpt/upcoming-classes/

Check out our entire list of upcoming training at https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/departments/department-public-safety/law-enforcement-division/law-enforcement-training

07/31/2026

Yesterday, our summer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class participated in a vehicle rescue demonstration at the Public Safety Training Campus as part of their accelerated nine-week curriculum. Students learned about vehicle anatomy, access points, and interagency goals to create a safe environment for their patients on accident scenes.

We’d like to thank the Harmonville Fire Company No.1, Plymouth Fire Company No. 1 (Montco 43), and Barren Hill Volunteer Fire Company for assisting with the demonstration. Our EMT students have one week to go and will graduate next Thursday!