Fire Marshal announces recipients of 2025 MARCS Grants

COLUMBUS — Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon has announced the recipients of the 2025 MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communications System) Grant. This grant cycle, 229 fire departments located in 71 counties across the state will receive a combined total of nearly $4 million. A complete list of MARCS Grant recipients, organized by county, is available here. Fire departments will receive those funds in early 2025. Local departments among those receiving funding include: Mohawk Fire & Rescue District (Wyandot County) to receive $1,740 for fees. Cygnet Fire Department (Wood County) to receive $32,896 for equipment and $1,260 for fees. Fremont Fire Department (Sandusky County) to receive $420 for fees. Lindsey Volunteer Fire Department (Sandusky County) to receive $16,632 for equipment. New Washington Fire Department (Crawford County) to receive $2,040 for fees. 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. 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.