Fire Department Partially Encrypted

Moundsville City Fire

Marshall, West Virginia

How we verified this

As of August 2026 RadioReference lists "2458 | Moundsville FD | Moundsville Fire - Dispatch" on the WV SIRN in the clear and flagged as carried online, and marks only "2456 | MoundsvlCy FD Pv | Moundsville City Fire - Private" as "T Enc".

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09: radioreference.com . Encryption status changes without notice — confirm the current picture on the live RadioReference database before relying on it.

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope Some talkgroups encrypted; dispatch audible per verification
Technical Details P25 AES-256

Marshall County Context

Of the 20 public-safety agencies we track in Marshall County, Moundsville City Fire is currently the only one we have flagged as encrypted.

What This Means

Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.

See encryption status nationwide Interactive map showing which US police departments have encrypted their radios. Open the encryption map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Moundsville City Fire radio encrypted?

Yes. Moundsville City Fire uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.

Can I listen to Moundsville City Fire on a police scanner?

Partially. Moundsville City Fire encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why did Moundsville City Fire encrypt their radio?

The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Marshall County incident is rarely part of the public record, whereas the consequences are easy to observe — no real-time accountability, and neighbouring agencies still in the clear left working around the gap.

Can Marshall County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Marshall County officials made and can revisit, and other communities have pushed departments back toward open channels through sustained council pressure and coalition-building.

What can I do about Moundsville City Fire encryption?

Put the question to whoever signs off on Moundsville City Fire's radio budget: why full encryption rather than a delayed feed or tactical-only channels? File for the recordings and the decision documents alongside it, and link up with neighbours and local reporters in Marshall County so the ask arrives as a group rather than a one-off.

Data source: RadioReference Wiki

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09 — see "How we verified this" above. Encryption status changes; confirm at RadioReference before relying on it.

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