Five Trumbull County fire departments have received grants to help improve their communication efforts when responding to fires and other incidents.

The Multi-Agency Radio Communications Systems (MARCS) grant allows first responders to communicate, not only with each other, but with other agencies — including law enforcement — responding to an emergency.

The following departments received grants to use the MARCS radio equipment and for radio system upgrades:

• Eagle Joint Fire District (Hubbard / Hubbard Township), $10,000

• Champion Township Fire Department, $8,453.50

• Burghill-Vernon Volunteer Fire Department, $10,000

• Orangeville Volunteer Fire Department, $10,000

• Weathersfield Township Fire Department, $10,000

Weathersfield fire Chief Thomas Lambert said the $10,000 will allow his department to get four needed mobile radios for the frontline vehicles.

“When we get those four mobile radios, our department will be 100 percent MARCS,” Lambert said.

Lambert said his department received previous Federal Emergency Management Agency grant money for MARCS radios, but the award was limited.

Because of this, Weathersfield and other fire departments had to use older radios given by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources until they could get the new MARCS radios.

The new MARCS radios cost $2,400 each.

Lambert said the department’s older VHF radio system will remain as a backup in case it is needed.

Champion fire Chief John Hickey, who led the effort to get a $1.5 million FEMA grant for MARCS radios, said the new grant will help “bridge the gap” for those departments that still need additional radios.

Hickey said Champion, Burghill-Vernon and Weathersfield fire departments had received grants for the radios, but were still in need of additional ones. He said the Orangeville Fire Department and Eagle Joint Fire District were not part of the original FEMA grant.

“Each department had to apply for this grant on their own. They can apply each year,” Hickey said.

Hickey said Champion will now be 100 percent on MARCS radios.

Like Weathersfield, Champion was using ODNR radios until the MARCS radios arrived, Hickey said. Champion needed three more portables and two mobile radios, he said.

In addition a $10 per radio per monthly user fee is charged that State Fire Marshal Kevin S. Reardon said can be covered by the grant.

Burghill-Vernon fire Chief George Snyder said when the additional radios are acquired, his department will be 98 percent on MARCS.

“We are glad to be getting these and would be happy for any department in the county to receive the grant money for the radios. The $10,000 is a good chunk of cash to help us get what we need,” Snyder said.

Snyder said the FEMA funds helped the department get two portable and two mobile with the $10,000 to get two to three more radios plus programming fees.

“There’s no greater honor for someone in my position than to play a part in keeping Ohio’s first responders safe while protecting their communities,” Reardon said in a news release announcing the grant awards.

Priority funding went to departments applying as part of a regional or countywide effort, and Reardon said Ashtabula County was one of four Ohio counties that received funding based on a countywide system.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com