MINGO JUNCTION — The Hillndale Volunteer Fire Department and 228 other Ohio fire departments will benefit from nearly $4 million in grant funds to upgrade their radio communications to a statewide system.

Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon announced Wednesday the 2025 Multi-Agency Radio Communications System Grant recipients, which represent 71 counties.

A total of $3,688,180.95 in equipment grants and $306,614 in service fee subsidies will be disbursed early next year. The Hillndale Volunteer Fire Department, part of the Seven Ranges Joint Fire District, has been allocated $21,872.56 to purchase eight new radios.

Authorized by the Ohio General Assembly and constructed around 2000, MARCS is Ohio’s wireless, digital communication system for first responders that facilitates communication among agencies on the local, state and federal level. Costs associated with adopting the system “can be significant” — demonstrating the importance of grant awards, the fire marshal’s office stated.

“Funding from these grants will give departments access to MARCS radios that they otherwise might not be able to purchase,” Reardon stated.

“Having first responders use these radios improves emergency services for departments around the state, allowing them to better serve their communities and save lives.” 

Up to $50,000 per department is available through the annual MARCS Grant, which is available to fire departments with service areas of 25,000 residents or less. Priority is shown to departments applying as part of a regional or countywide effort or that are set to begin immediate usage of MARCS upon being awarded.

A state-mandated radio authentication set for July would have made the Jefferson County 911 Center’s system incompatible with the Hillndale Volunteer Fire Department’s older hand-held radios. Jerry Vogt, president of the Hillndale department, said upgrading his agency’s radios would have cost up to $6,000 per unit, so a MARCS Grant application was submitted to help offset costs.

“You have to have the (hand-held radios) when you’re out on a call, no matter what it is, because you can’t be by the vehicle all the time,” Vogt said. “We have to be able to talk to each other, 911 and everything else.”

Although the MARCS Grant award will cover the cost of eight new radios, Hillndale will still need to pay another $10,000 or so to cover necessary software, Vogt said.

Hillndale is awaiting responses regarding other private grant applications that will hopefully help offset costs even further, Vogt said, adding, “Every little bit helps.”

Earlier this year, the department purchased new protective turnout gear for its volunteers. In November 2023, the department benefited from a $30,000 grant from the Charles M. and Thelma M. Pugliese Charitable Foundation to upgrade its rescue tools.

Serving primarily the Village of Wintersville and Cross Creek Township, Hillndale is part of the Seven Ranges Joint Fire District with the Wintersville Fire and Rescue Department, Belvedere Volunteer Fire Department, New Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department and Brilliant Volunteer Fire Department.

Hillndale has around 25 volunteers, who utilize two engines, a mini pumper and two ambulances.

Roughly $20.5 million has been distributed to Ohio fire departments through the MARCS Grant program, the fire marshal’s office said. About $104,900 in grant money was awarded to Jefferson County fire departments in 2023 across all grant categories, figures from the office said. Awards were received by 11 of the county’s 27 fire departments.

MARCS has more than 3,000 public safety and service agencies participating, according to the Ohio Department Administrative Services. More than 140,000 radios and 1,800 unit-computers are on MARCS, which was upgraded in 2015 to extend its lifecycle until 2039.