Illinois American Water Distributes Grant to Fire department

The Des Plaines Fire Department will be purchasing a remote area light to be used for fire investigations, confined space rescues and night-time operations thanks to a grant from Illinois American Water.

The Illinois American Water Firefighter Grant Program provides financial assistance to fire and emergency organizations serving communities in its service areas. The program awards grants to provide personal protective gear, communications equipment, firefighting tools, water handling equipment, training materials and classroom programs. The grant winners were announced in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6 – 12, 2019, to raise awareness about the importance of fire prevention and emergency planning.

This year, over $88,000 will be shared by 90 Illinois fire departments through the grant program. Since the program was created in 2010, over 590 grants totaling over $582,000 have been awarded.

“We know the critical role water plays in protecting homes and businesses; we also know resources for our local heroes often run short. The Illinois American Water firefighter grant program was created to help bridge the gap and support our local firefighters,” said Bruce Hauk, Illinois American Water President.

Des Plaines Deputy Fire Chief Pete Dyer stated, “We are so appreciative of Illinois American Water’s continued support of our department and our efforts to provide the best service to our community. The purchase of the portable high-power light tool with these grant funds will greatly enhance our capability to function in poorly lit conditions and will also provide a safety net for our personnel, increasing our efficiency and overall safety. We are very grateful.”

About Illinois American Water

Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit www.amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.