Following National Fire Prevention Week Illinois American Water Awards 112 Firefighter Grants

BELLEVILLE, Ill.--( BUSINESS WIRE)--More than $110,000 has been awarded this year to 112 Illinois fire departments and districts through Illinois American Water’s Firefighter Grant Program. Since the initiative began in 2010, nearly 1,200 grants totaling over $1 million have been granted to fire and emergency organizations serving customers in Illinois American Water’s service area.

“Through our partnerships with local fire departments, we learn about the constantly evolving challenges firefighters must overcome to keep our communities safe in emergency situations," says Rebecca Losli, president of Illinois American Water.

"We extend our sincere thanks to Illinois American Water for their continued support of fire departments throughout the State of Illinois, and of every community in which they invest,” says Shawn Sollberger, fire chief at the City of Peoria Fire Department. “The City of Peoria Fire Department is proud to recognize community partners like Illinois American Water, whose commitment and contributions positively impact our ability to deliver high-quality fire services to the residents of Peoria."

Illinois American Water’s Firefighter Grant Program provides funding for organizations to purchase personal protective gear, communications equipment, firefighting tools, water handling equipment, training materials and provide community education.

“Illinois American Water knows how crucial water is for protecting homes and businesses,” says Rebecca Losli, president of Illinois American Water. “Through our partnerships with local fire departments, we learn about the constantly evolving challenges firefighters must overcome to keep our communities safe in emergency situations. We created the Firefighter Grant Program to support our first responders and help them care for and educate our communities about fire safety.”

The following Illinois fire departments will receive funding this year:

These grants were announced following National Fire Prevention Week, which took place Oct. 5 - Oct. 11, 2025, raising awareness about the importance of fire prevention and emergency planning. This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme was "Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home." The theme aimed to educate individuals about how important it is to buy, charge, and recycle safely when it comes to lithium-ion batteries. Learn more at www.nfpa.org.

About American Water

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 and reliable 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 6,700 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.

About Illinois American Water

Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.