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Spotty Fire Dept. Radio System To Be Upgraded

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The Athens Fire Department will be upgrading its radio system thanks to a federal grant. 

Fire Chief Bob Troxel received the news from Senator Rob Portman's office Wednesday morning. 
 
The approximately $150,000 grant will allow the fire department to upgrade to the statewide Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS), one that the Athens County Sheriff's office and EMS department are already using. According to the Ohio Department of Administrative Services website, the voice and data service for first reponders is described as "the back bone for our state-level law enforcement's Computer Aided Dispatch suites and in-car mobile computer terminals for the State Highway Patrol, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency."
 
"We've had some issues currently and over the past that's created some dead spots within the city, created some interference issues," said Troxel. "We've also had some issues operating inside dormitories, and other large buildings with concrete and steel construction."
 
Troxel hopes that upgrading to the new system will eliminate these problems. The radio system should be fully operational in the fire department by July.