Fire Pit Safety Tips Offered by the Department of Permitting Services

Cooler weather often spurs cozy gatherings around the fire pit during the fall season.

The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) website features safety tips for those who will be using fire pits, fire bowls and chimineas. It is important to utilize the devices in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance, and to make sure at least one adult is supervising.

Fire pits and similar devices should be located at least 10 feet away from a home. It is important to keep a clear area of three feet in diameter around the fire pit. Mulch can catch fire quickly, so be sure and keep the fire pit at least three feet away from any nearby mulch.

The DPS fire code compliance team recommends that the devices should not be used on balconies or decks. DPS advises to burn only aged, dried wood and to not use any type of flammable or combustible liquids in the fire. A garden house or water source should always be nearby and users should be mindful of the wind speed before starting a fire.

When the evening around the fire pit concludes, dispose of all ashes in a safe manner. After 24 hours have passed, all hot ashes must be thoroughly dampened, cooled and stored in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid that is used solely for ash storage. Do not discard hot ashes in a compost pile, paper bag, cardboard box or anything that is combustible.

More information about the use of fire pits is available by contacting the Office of Fire Code Compliance at 3-1-1 (in Montgomery County) or 240-777-0311 (outside the County limits).

MC311, the County’s Customer Service Center, Surpasses One Million Calls Since the Start of the COVID-19 Health Crisis

MC311, Montgomery County’s customer service center for all non-emergency County information and services, has surpassed one million calls since the COVID-19 health crisis began in March 2020. County Executive Marc Elrich noted the milestone was reached just before the two-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 case was identified in China in 2019.

Throughout the pandemic, the County has directed residents to call MC311 for assistance. The call volume increased significantly as residents sought assistance of all kinds related to COVID—and also because lifestyles were changed by the health crisis leading to the need for more types of assistance. The call milestone is an indication of the tremendous need that people have had for local government services throughout the pandemic.

The accomplishment also is significant because the County successfully moved MC311 operations to 100-percent remote on March 17, 2020, to protect the health of employees on the team. This innovative approach, as well as the institution of new customer service tools, resulted in the County receiving an award from the National Association of Counties.,

“When the people of Montgomery County need information about the County’s COVID-19 testing and vaccine efforts, social services, bulk trash pickup and property tax information, they often call 311 or visit MC311.com," said County Executive Elrich. “These dedicated employees handle roughly 2,000 calls per day with professionalism and courtesy, and we appreciate their work.”

During the height of the pandemic, MC311’s call volume increase led to the need to add more customer service representatives (CSRs) to assist callers. To accommodate that need, MC311 cut the time it takes to train new employees by 50 percent so that CSRs were ready to handle calls sooner. This change, as well as some process-improvement measures, helped reduce the rate of abandoned calls below five percent. It also reduced average customer wait times to less than 40 seconds. In addition, MC311 was able to maintain its customer satisfaction rate at more than 85 percent.

During the challenging time, MC311 became an indispensable resource for County residents seeking access to food, help paying rent, tree maintenance and numerous other County services.

MC311 is available 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. It provides assistance in hundreds of languages. The service can be accessed by dialing 3-1-1 from within the County or 240-777-0311 from anywhere. Its online component is available 24/7 at MC311.com,

Is Your Deck Safe?

The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) extended its free residential deck inspection service into the summer months.

To schedule a free deck inspection in Montgomery County, call 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311.

Residents may request an inspection online by visiting the County’s website. Once the request is received, an inspector will contact the homeowner to schedule the inspection. 

Inspectors advise residents to thoroughly inspect their decks regularly to keep the structure sound and to ensure its longevity. For more information, download the Deck Maintenance Checklist, which is posted as a reference guide on the County’s website.

The free deck inspections are available to all Montgomery County residents - excluding Rockville and Gaithersburg residents who are served by the permitting departments of the City municipalities.

For more information about DPS, visit its website.

County Executive Ike Leggett Announces Intensive Effort to Fill Potholes

Montgomery County Ike Leggett announced an intensive effort will be made in the upcoming days to focus on pothole repair. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Department will add extra equipment and staff from all seven of MCDOT’s regional depots.

MCDOT repairs potholes every day of the year except during rain and snow – and this year has been no exception. However, with the intensity of the blizzard of 2016 and the wide fluctuations in temperature over the winter months, the potential for potholes increased. The focused effort of deploying crews in full force will ensure County roads are repaired as soon as possible.

MC 311 is available for residents to report potholes online at Report Potholes Online or call 311 or 240-777-0311.

Pregnancy Tests and Counseling Provided

Montgomery County can put you in touch with pregnancy tests and prenatal counseling. Early pregnancy detection is important to ensure that both mother and baby have every opportunity for a healthy birth outcome. 

Find out more, visit MC311 website or call 311.

MC311 Customer Service Center to Staff Executive Office Building Lobby

In an effort to increase access to Montgomery County Government information and services, Montgomery County’s MC311 now staffs the Executive Office Building lobby desk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday beginning Monday, November 2.

MC311 was launched in June 2010. In August 2012, the hours of operation were extended to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Prior to that, the CSC operated from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The self-service website,www.MC311.com is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MC311 remains open extra hours during weather emergencies or other significant incidents.

Since the CSC opened, call volume has averaged 40,000 calls per month. The 311 web portal allows residents to find answers and check on the status of service requests and has consistently averaged 25,000 views per month. MC311 recently created the three-millionth request for service since their launch in 2010. In addition, customers can tweet 311 using @311MC311 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MC311 Marks Three Millionth Service Request Milestone

Jessica Henriquez, MC 311 Customer Service Representative, answered a milestone telephone call when she responded to a routine service request on September 30. The caller, who was requesting information on the hours for the Treasury Office, marked the Call Center’s three-millionth service request.

The MC311 system, launched on June 17, 2010, implemented the centralized Customer Service Center (CSC) to enhance public access to community services with one easy-to-remember number and a website available 24/7. Since the CSC opened, call volume has averaged 40,000 calls per month. The MC311 Online Request System, www.MC311.com, which allows residents to find answers and check on the status of service requests, has consistently averaged 25,000 views per month.

MC 311 on Twitter

The County’s 311 Customer Service Center has launched a new Twitter account that allows residents to get non-emergency County government information and request services via Twitter. The address is @311MC311. Initially, tweets will be monitored Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Customers can now tweet MC311 with a question or request for service. They will receive a response with the Service Request number and a time frame for a follow-up response for services handled by departments.

Information will also be tweeted about some of the most common topics coming into MC311. These include: Ride On Bus Real Time information; reporting a dead animal along the roadway; reporting a street light outage; and reporting a pothole on a County road.

Individuals who don’t already have a Twitter account can go to www.twitter.com, register for a free account, then follow @311MC311.

New Public Service Announcement Offers Details about 311 Call Center in Spanish

A new public service announcement (PSA) in Spanish about the services of the County’s 311 call center has been added to the 311 website.