Harford County Department of Emergency Services

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

During National Emergency Management Awareness Month, our staff is preparing for September, National Preparedness Month, and developing ways to help you, the public, be more prepared for an emergency. They’ll be out in the public spreading the word about signing up for emergency notifications, having a safety plan and preparing an emergency kit among other things. When you see them next month, stop and hear what they have to say – it could help you during the next emergency. To read more about emergency preparedness in Harford County, visit https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5326/Emergency-Preparedness-Guide?bidId=

08/31/2026

Keep this in mind now that schools are back in session.

Students return to school on Monday morning. Here's a little refresher on when you MUST stop for a school bus. Take this graphic to heart and help us keep our children safe!

08/28/2026

Help welcome home an American hero tonight at Schimunek Funeral Home in Bel Air. With no known family left in Harford County, the remains of 22-year-old World War II airman U.S. Army 1st Lt. Walter Bateman will be accompanied by a motorcade from BWI and arrive in Bel Air at approximately 7:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend the motorcade’s arrival to honor 1st Lt. Bateman’s sacrifice for our freedoms. The funeral home will also be open for those who wish to come inside and pay their respects.

08/28/2026

If you physically can't talk, or if you're afraid to, text 9-1-1. You'll be asked for the same information as if you were calling.

08/28/2026

Help honor an American hero coming home to Harford County Friday night, Aug. 28

1st Lt. Walter Bateman was 22 when he was shot down over Italy. He will finally be put to rest in Harford County in September.

08/27/2026

Emergency management doesn’t end once the emergency is over. Recovery can take days, weeks or months, even years – depending on the situation. During August, National Emergency Management Awareness Month, we’re shining a light on what that entails.

In the event of a hurricane or blizzard, EM will assist with debris cleanup or snow removal and assess property damage. They will coordinate resources for other public safety officials and help the public with necessities like food and/or water. And they work with local utilities to restore infrastructure to get life back to normal as quickly as possible.

Once the recovery stage ends, EM staff will review the response to see what could have been done differently to see what worked and what needs improvement so they will be better prepared for the next emergency.

08/26/2026

Harford Locations Join Maryland Network of Weather Stations to Better Prepare for Emergencies

Three locations in Harford County are now part of Maryland Mesonet, a statewide network of weather stations to help first responders plan effectively before and during emergencies. The stations, called mesonet towers, typically stand 10-meters high and are equipped to measure real-time data, such as temperature, wind direction and speed, rainfall, and soil moisture. The data is accessed by Harford County Emergency Services and available to the public.

“These weather stations provide critical information during storms and other hazardous situations,” County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “The more information we have, the better prepared we will be to protect the citizens of Harford County.”

Having real-time data helps Emergency Services respond during severe local weather. Being part of a network allows county emergency management staff to monitor conditions in other parts of the state to get a better idea of what to expect when the weather system approaches Harford.

For example, if soil moisture levels are found to be high in a specific area, creating the potential for flooding during a significant rainstorm, Emergency Services and other first responders could reduce response times by deploying extra resources to the area before the storm arrives.

Harford’s newest mesonet tower was installed in July at Youth’s Benefit Elementary School in Fallston. Another is located at the county’s public works facility in Whiteford and the third is at Abingdon Fire Company’s House 3 on Willoughby Beach Road in Edgewood. Together, the three towers provide data from the northern, western/central and southern parts of the county.

Maryland Mesonet is a partnership with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management; its data is accessible at https://mesonet.umd.edu/index.html.