Knox County's Mount Vernon Fire Department, Central Ohio JT Fire District, and Eastern Knox County JT Fire District are recipients of the 2025 Multi-Agency Radio Communications (MARCS) Grants.
Mount Vernon was awarded $4,380 in fees, Central Ohio JT Fire District received $1,620, and the Eastern Knox County JT Fire District was given $4,140 for a total of $10,140 for the county.
Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon announced the recipients of the 2025 MARCS Grants. This grant cycle, 229 fire departments, located in 71 counties across the state, will receive a combined total of nearly $4 million.
The MARCS radio system provides statewide, secure, reliable public service wireless communication for first responders. The system allows first responders to seamlessly communicate with each other, as well as with other agencies that may be responding to an incident. Costs to acquire and operate the advanced MARCS radio system technology can be significant, which highlights the importance of these grants in helping to ensure fire departments can access these valuable tools.
“Funding from these grants will give departments access to MARCS radios that they otherwise might not be able to purchase,” Reardon said. “Having first responders use these radios improves emergency services for departments around the state, allowing them to better serve their communities and save lives.”
The MARCS Grant is available annually to fire departments with service areas of 25,000 residents or less. Up to $50,000 per department is available through the grant. Priority funding goes to departments applying as part of a regional or countywide effort, as well as departments that show they are prepared to immediately begin using the MARCS radios upon receiving the award.
Since 2020, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) has awarded approximately $20.5 million to fire departments across the state through the MARCS Grant.
A complete list of MARCS Grant recipients, organized by county, is available here. Fire departments will receive those funds in early 2025.
