Two Guernsey County fire departments will receive a combined $19,030 through the Ohio Division of Wildlife's Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant program for the purchase of new equipment including MARCS radios.

The Liberty Community Volunteer Fire Department will receive $9,730 while the Cassell Station Volunteer Fireman's Association will receive $9,300, according to a release by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

"Grants are always a good thing and they are invaluable to small fire departments all across the state," said Liberty Fire Chief Tom Johnson. "Without these grants, it takes us years to build up enough money to buy things like new pumps and lighting."

The Liberty department has earmarked the funds for a wildlife pump, scene lights and four Multi-Agency Radio Communications System-capable radios for firefighters.

"A few years ago we received a grant to equip all of our fire trucks with MARCS radios," said Johnson. "Now, I am working on getting the guys equipped with the radios. Slowly, we are increasing equipment to get the department equipped with everything that we need, and that's always a good thing."

Johnson said the wildlife pump will replace a smaller pump mounted to the department's brush truck.

"We are carrying more hoses and they requires a bigger pump than the current pump we have on the truck," he said.

The funding awarded to the Cassell Station department will also be used for MARCS radios, according to Division of Wildlife officials.

The Division of Forestry approved $394,274 in VFA Grant funds for 57 projects by fire departments in rural areas across the state.

“We are pleased to be able to provide funding to local volunteer fire departments for the acquisition of upgraded firefighting equipment,” said Forestry Chief Dan Balser. “In addition to the training we provide, this equipment will increase the efficiency of our frontline partners in wildfire prevention and suppression.”

VFA Grant projects are focused on supporting rural fire departments and helping them continue to deliver safety services to their communities. VFA grants are open to fire departments that serve communities with less than 10,000 people within the ODNR Forestry wildfire protection area.

Grant funds may be used to purchase UTVs, slip-in wildfire pump units, wildfire and structure fire PPE, MARCS radios, tools, and other items to support fire department operations and development.