Nuclear plant awards Montgomery County SWAT $60K

LIMERICK >> Members of the Montgomery County SWAT - Western Region, formerly known as the Chester-Montgomery Emergency Response Team, recently accepted a $60,000 donation from Exelon’s Limerick Generating Station.

Over the past several months, Chief Michael Foltz, MSWAT-W team Commander, and Cpl. Steve Morrisey of the Pottstown Police Department, who serves as Tactical Team Supervisor, have been actively communicating with the Limerick Generating Station representatives about unfunded team needs.

The MSWAT-W unit serves 13 municipalities within the Limerick Generating Station evacuation zone: Pottstown, Lower Pottsgrove Township, Upper Pottsgrove Township, West Pottsgrove Township, Limerick Township, Douglass (Mont.) Township, New Hanover Township, Lower Frederick Township, Royersford, Upper Providence Township, Collegeville, North Coventry Township in Chester County and Colebrookdale Township in Berks County.

Each of these municipalities contributes an annual payment into the MSWATW budget and many also provide personnel.

Team members are provided ballistic vests that by manufacture and NIJ standards are rated for a 5-year replacement cycle. The team’s current armor is due to expire in early 2019.

Owing that the team works closely with their security forces to provide protection to the plant and to the local communities, Exelon agreed to cover the cost of the purchase at $60,000. The contribution will allow the MSWAT-W team to focus its limited budget on specialized training and other expenses such as insurance, equipment and maintenance costs for its various vehicles.

The team, incorporated around 1999, has received much support from the community in the way of donations to help support its mission. Many major expenses have been funded by grants or private/corporate donations, which keeps the costs to our various municipalities at a minimum. The annual contribution of each municipality has remained constant since the teams inception.

In a press release issued by Limerick Generating Station, employees stated, “This is great example of camaraderie, not only at the site, but between our security and external protective services. Our contribution could protect and allow an officer to go home to their family after a dangerous shift. That is most important.”

“This contribution helps strengthen relationships in the community and will help keep our employees safe, as well as members of the community we serve.”