Late last week, the city was notified of its successful Ohio Department of Commerce, State Fire Marshal 2023 MARCS grant application. The city was awarded $41,723.78 as a part of the program.
With the funding, the city anticipates purchasing 11 additional Motorola APX TM 6000 series. The 11 units will be used for new staff members and expanding the number of spare units available in emergency situations. The new radios are fully compliant with the Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS) and will be placed into service by July 1, 2023.
MARCS is Ohio’s wireless, digital communication network for first responders, providing fiber optic and microwave technology that enables State, local, and federal agencies to communicate instantly with one another during public safety events. There are currently over 140,000 voice units and over 1,800 mobile data units on the MARCS system with more than 3,000 public safety/public service agencies statewide. This includes local, state and federal agencies.
The MARCS Grant is available to fire departments that serve populations of 25,000 or less. The money can be used to purchase the systems, equipment, and/or services that are a part of, integrated into, or otherwise interoperable with the Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS) operated by the State of Ohio with respect to providing fire protection services. The maximum award per department is $50,000.