For Immediate Release                                              News Release

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Contact:  Patrick Harris, 644-8608                                                                

              Office of Information Technology      

MARCS Aids First Responders During Search for Missing Person, Recent Flooding

COLUMBUS – Ohio’s Multi Agency Radio Communication system (MARCS) provided first responders in multiple Ohio counties with essential radio communications during the search for a missing hunter in Morgan County and during recent flooding in north Central Ohio. 

MARCS, which serves nearly 900 agencies across the state, was used both in rescue efforts and across the state to help coordinate these efforts.

• On September 8 a call was received by the Morgan County Sherriff’s Office regarding a missing person.  The rescue operation involved officials from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, M & M Fire Department and EMS, Crooksville Fire Department and EMS and a host of other volunteers.  The person was located the following morning.

“MARCS radio communications worked flawlessly and for the first time in this area communications were not a problem,” said Morgan County Sheriff Thomas C. Jenkins.  “This shows that MARCS is a reliable and consistent system.  I cannot say enough about the ease and consistency of MARCS.”

• In the city of Shelby, Richland County, rising floodwaters cut off essential communications between first responders.  MARCS radios were given to the Shelby Mayor, the Ashland County Public Safety Director, Fire, Police, and county health officials.  The radios restored essential communication and helped coordinate rescue efforts.

• In the city of Findlay, Hancock County, MARCS radios were used to coordinate flood rescues.  Officials used MARCS radios in Findlay for several days and in one instance used a radio to request an airboat from the city of Cambridge in Guernsey County, more than 175 miles away.

• Chief John Sabo of Plain Township, Stark County, responded to flooding in Richland County.  Chief Sabo serves as the Region 5 Coordinator of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Emergency Response Plan.  Chief Sabo used a MARCS radio to communicate with first responders on scene while in route to Shelby.

“I remain impressed with the interoperability of the MARCS system,” said Chief Sabo.  “I was able to speak with multiple first responding agencies outside my normal area of jurisdiction and help coordinate efforts even though I was miles away.”

The Multi-Agency Radio Communication System serves 17 state agencies, 111 local health departments, 191 hospitals, all 88 Sheriff Offices and county Emergency Management Agencies, and more than 400 fire, police, first responder and service department agencies.  MARCS supports voice and data services, utilizing a total of 203 tower sites and supporting approximately 24,419 total voice users and 1,831 data devices.

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