Newton Township Fire Department Receives MARCS Grant

The Newton Township Fire Department is one out of many recipients to receive the 2022 Multi-Agency Radio Communications Systems (MARCS) Grant.

The Newton Fire Department received over $41,000 to fund the MARCS radio system. This technology will provide first responders access to better communication throughout the department and with other facilities as well. 

“MARCS allows us to be interoperable with other fire departments. It’s a very efficient and effective means of communicating with other agencies. Especially our mutual aid departments when we’re called to aid them and it’s been very useful in the past, and we were really excited to get the chance to upgrade that technology,” Chas Cosgrave, Captain at Newton Township Fire Department stated.

If there was a large-scale incident in the town that needed assistance from other agencies, Cosgrave said they would be able to use things like fireground or opps channels to speak directly with the other agencies. 

The MARCS Grant is available each year to fire departments with service areas of 25,000 residents or less. Cosgrave expressed his gratitude toward the members who worked hard for the grant this year. 

“I would just like to thank our members here that worked very hard on getting us this grant and put in the work. We’re very fortunate to have very committed and dedicated people such as our Assistant Chief Cohen who took the lead on this and we’re very thankful for his hard work that he did,” Cosgrave said.

Each truck now has its own Mobile MARCS radio that is connected to each officer’s radio that is on duty for that day. 

Other fire departments in Muskingum County that received the MARCS Grant include New Concord, Harrison Township Volunteer, Washington, Dresden, Frazeyburg Volunteer, Roseville Volunteer and Zanesville.