Background

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, is committed to safeguarding its residents through robust emergency management and public health strategies. Recognizing the growing complexity of emergencies—from natural disasters to public health crises—the Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) and Department of Public Safety (DPS) sought to ensure their plans and operations were fully aligned and capable of addressing diverse threats. To achieve this, they partnered with SummitET, a leader in emergency preparedness and response, to enhance coordination, clarify roles, and strengthen operational alignment across public health and emergency management functions.

Mission Need

The central mission was to bridge gaps between OPH and DPS, ensuring both agencies could respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies. There was a critical need for comprehensive, integrated plans, clear role definitions, and training resources that would empower personnel to act decisively. The goal was to create unified strategies, tools, and exercises that would enable Montgomery County to protect its community under any circumstance.

Solution

SummitET delivered a multi-faceted initiative designed to transform Montgomery County’s emergency management and public health preparedness:

• Comparative Plan Review: Conducted a detailed comparison between the OPH Incident Response Plan and the DPS Emergency Operations Plan to ensure seamless operational alignment and integration between public health and emergency management functions.
• Gap Analysis & Stakeholder Engagement: Assessed existing plans against federal and state standards, while hosting virtual town halls to gather real-world insights and foster active stakeholder involvement.
• Actionable Tools: Developed an Emergency Response Matrix that clearly defines agency roles, responsibilities, and unified command structures. Additionally, rapid-response “break-glass” playbooks were created for five high-risk incident and accident scenarios, enabling immediate, coordinated activation of relevant agencies for timely and effective response.
• Training Roadmaps: Produced in-depth, role-specific onboarding guides for OPH and DPS personnel to accelerate readiness and ensure consistent emergency response capabilities across agencies.
• Interactive Exercise: Facilitated an in-person, scenario-based workshop featuring six realistic scenarios to test and validate cross-agency collaboration and the newly developed emergency response matrix.

Result

Through this comprehensive partnership, Montgomery County now benefits from stronger, more integrated emergency response plans and tools. The collaborative efforts led to enhanced coordination between OPH and DPS, clarified roles and responsibilities, and streamlined operational alignment. Personnel are equipped with practical, actionable resources and training, improving their readiness for real-world incidents. The interactive workshop validated these improvements, ensuring agencies can work together seamlessly during emergencies.

Conclusion

“By strengthening emergency preparedness collaboration across departments, we’re building more resilient communities and ensuring every resident benefits from a stronger, more connected system,” said Christina Miller, Administrator, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health.

SummitET’s partnership with Montgomery County OPH and DPS marks a significant advancement in public health and emergency management preparedness. Through detailed plan reviews, stakeholder engagement, actionable tools, targeted training, and realistic exercises, the county is now better positioned to protect its community during emergencies. This success story demonstrates the value of collaboration, innovation, and strategic planning in building resilient communities.

Read the Press Release.