Illinois American Water Distributes Grant to Orland Fire PD

The Orland Fire Protection District will be purchasing full turnout gear for 10 - 15 junior cadets to have their Junior Cadet Training Camp 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.

Fire Chief Michael Schofield thanked Illinois American Water during the check presentation. “The Orland Fire Protection District is very appreciative of this year’s grant from Illinois American Water which will help support the purchase of turnout gear for our annual Junior Cadet Camp. This summer program is for children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old and gives the Junior Cadets an opportunity to explore Fire Rescue & EMS. This class provides a combination of classroom and side-by-side training with our current Cadets and Firefighters and gives a glimpse into what a career as a Firefighter/Paramedic entails. It is our aim that each Junior Cadet leaves with a better sense of responsibility and that he/she will be more accountable for their actions in their family and their community,” stated Schofield.

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.