10/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/17/2024 08:44
Belleville, Ill. (October 17, 2024) - Over $96,000 has been awarded to 97 Illinois fire departments and districts through Illinois American Water's 2024 Firefighter Grant Program. Since the program was created in 2010, over 1,040 grants totaling over $1,036,000 have been awarded to fire and emergency organizations serving customers in Illinois American Water's service area.
"The Pontiac Fire Department relies heavily on collaborating with community stakeholders like Illinois American Water to help ensure our firefighters carry out their mission of protecting life, property, and the environment," says Jacob Campbell, Fire Chief of Pontiac Fire Department. "Thanks to the grant opportunity provided through the Illinois American Water Company this year the Pontiac Fire Department will be able to purchase confined space equipment that will help our firefighters be better prepared to perform specialized rescues within their jurisdiction."
Illinois American Water's Firefighter Grant Program awards grants to provide personal protective gear, communications equipment, firefighting tools, water handling equipment, training materials and classroom programs.
Rebecca Losli, President of Illinois American Water adds, "All of us at Illinois American Water know how important water is for protecting homes and businesses. We also understand resources and equipment for our local heroes can run short. We created the Firefighter Grant Program more than 10 years ago to support our first responders in a meaningful way. We are proud to support these organizations who keep our customers and communities safe in emergency situations day after day."
Illinois American Water is providing firefighter grants to the following Illinois fire departments:
The firefighter grants are being announced following National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2024, to raise awareness about the importance of fire prevention and emergency planning. This year's Fire Prevention Week theme was "Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!" The theme educated individuals about the critical importance of smoke alarms in the home and what's needed to install, test, and maintain them properly. Learn more at www.nfpa.org.
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.
For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.4 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.