Loudonville Fire Department secures $50,000 grant for radio communication upgrade
LOUDONVILLE — The Loudonville Fire Department earned the highest grant amount possible — $50,000 — from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS) grant.
Chief Dan Robinson says the $47,240 the department received for equipment will pay for radio communication equipment. Another $2,760 in fees will help cover upkeep of that new equipment.
(Below is a PDF of 2025 MARCS grant award winners from across the state, organized alphabetically by county.)
Robinson, who has served with the Loudonville Fire Department for 22 years, said the department is one of few in the area that isn’t on the multi-agency radio communications system.
“It gives the ability for agencies to communicate on the fire scene or any type of larger emergency scene more effectively,” Robinson said.
More info on the MARCS grant
According to a press release, the MARCS grant has been available since 2020. It specifically helps departments that serve 25,000 people or less. Since the grant started, it has awarded over $20.5 million to fire departments across the state.
Departments can receive up to $50,000 from 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,” the press release stated.
The Loudonville department was fundraising for that equipment prior to receiving the grant from the state, which was announced in a Dec. 11 press release.
Robinson said altogether, the department has raised $133,000 to purchase the radios, including the funds from the MARCS grant.
Grants from the Samaritan Foundation, Hugo H. & Mabel B. Young Foundation and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources have also added to Loudonville’s fundraising efforts.
Once the Loudonville Fire Department received word it got the grant, it put in the order for the radios. Fire departments won’t receive the funds until early January. Robinson explained the grant will reimburse the department for the costs of the radios.
Two other local fire departments — the Jeromesville Volunteer Fire Department and Polk Jackson Perry Fire Department — received grants for fees. Jeromesville received $2,460, and Polk Jackson Perry received $2,280.
“A large purchase like this is kind of hard for small volunteer departments,” Robinson said. “That’s why we rely on grants like this.”
This independent, local reporting provided by our Report for America Corps members is brought to you in part by the generous support of the Ashland County Community Foundation.
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