Emergency Management

Emergency Management in Upper Dublin Township

Timothy Schuck, Emergency Management Coordinator
370 Commerce Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
(215) 643-1600
tschuck@upperdublin.net

The Office of Emergency Management reports to the Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners and provides assistance to Upper Dublin Township staff. It develops and maintains comprehensive disaster preparedness and assistance plans and programs that address relevant hazards. These plans are culminated in the Upper Dublin Township's Emergency Operations Plan, which outlines how the Township coordinates with other local, county, state and federal agencies in the event of an emergency, ranging from a hazardous material spill to a natural disaster to a terrorist incident.

In the event of a disaster, the overall responsibility for decision making within Upper Dublin Township rests with the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners may declare a local emergency upon finding a disaster has occurred or is imminent.

When a local emergency is declared, the Office of Emergency Management along with Township personnel and representatives from the Township emergency first responder organizations operate an Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the management of community-wide resources (police, public works, fire, EMS, food, shelters, etc…) with various local, county, state and federal agencies to appropriately respond to an emergency event. The protection of health, safety and welfare of our residents is paramount.

The following are examples of EOC staff activities:

Requesting mutual aid resources
Locating requested resources and directing them to the proper place
Managing a wide-scale evacuation
Establishing shelters and coordinating social services
Coordinating communications with the community
Transmitting information over the Emergency Alert System
Resolving policy issues

The Office of Emergency Management has compiled public safety information to assist its citizens in the education, preparedness and readiness for an emergency situation.

Emergency Phone Numbers

Emergency: 911
Aqua PA: 1-877-987-2782 or after hours: 1-800-771-4779
Bucks County Water and Sewer: 1-800-222-2068
PECO: 1-800-841-4141

Upper Dublin Township will post emergency information in the following places:

Upper Dublin Township web site home page.
Social media.

Also remember to check local news outlets via TV or radio for emergency information.

Community Information for Emergencies

Upper Dublin Township residents have a multitude of emergency communication apps at their disposal. All of these are in collaboration with Montgomery County, PA and come to the user free of charge. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these options and make use of them, so you can be better prepared in an emergency.

Ready MontCo is your official source for notifications about emergencies, severe weather, crime alerts and disasters in Montgomery County. When there is a potential safety hazard or concern in your area, you will receive a notification in the form of a text message, email, voice call, or mobile app alert. ReadyMontco is administered by the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety and comes to you free of charge (text messaging and voice rates may apply). Register online.

Smart911 is a free, private, and secure safety profile that provides first responders with the information they need to assist you in an emergency. Over 80% of 911 calls are made from a mobile device, which provides very little information about the caller to 911 call takers. With Smart911, you can provide 911 call takers and first responders with critical information you want them to know in any kind of emergency. It is a national service, which means your safety profile is available to any participating 911 call center nationwide.

RAVEfacility allows school campuses, healthcare facilities, and commercial properties to improve organizational safety. Your RAVEfacility profile provides emergency responders with critical information about your facilities, such as access codes, building layouts, etc.

MontcoCrimeTips allows Montgomery County residents an anonymous, modern, convenient, and safe way to report crimes or suspicious activity to law enforcement in real time, making them more effective at doing what is needed to protect the community. Use the STOPit mobile app to anonymously report incidents to law enforcement.

PulsePointAED is a community tool that is used to crowdsource and track AEDs throughout the county. PulsePointAED lets you report and update AED locations so that emergency responders, including nearby citizens trained in CPR and off-duty professionals such as firefighters, police officers and nurses, can find an AED close to them when a cardiac emergency occurs.

PulsePointRespond allows users who are trained in CPR and willing to assist in an emergency to be notified in the event that someone nearby is having a cardiac emergency and may require CPR. When an ambulance is dispatched to a sudden cardiac arrest within a quarter mile of your vicinity, you will be alerted via the mobile app with a location of the victim and the nearest AEDs.

ReadyRadio is Montgomery County Department of Public Safety’s radio broadcast network for essential information related to safety, health, and emergency preparedness in the home, at the workplace, and in our communities. King of Prussia falls within two radio frequencies – 106.5 WRDY and 105.7 WEMA.

Plan for Special Needs: Protecting yourself and your family when disaster strikes requires planning ahead. Some populations may require special planning in advance of an emergency to ensure unique needs are met in the event of disaster.

Special populations include those who may face challenges or have difficulties if an emergency strikes, including, but not limited to:

Young children
Older Pennsylvanians
People who have a physical disability, mental illness, or developmental disability
Those who have limited English speaking skills or are non-English speaking

In addition, this section also addresses pets and livestock that may need special arrangements to ensure their safety in the event of an emergency. Learn more about special needs planning.