Thanks to a grant from Illinois American Water, the Romeoville Fire Department will be purchasing new cancer dog screening tests, as cancer is a high priority for firefighters. 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 Kent Adams thanked Illinois American Water during the check presentation. "The Romeoville Fire Department would like to thank Illinois American Water for choosing us as the recipients for this year's American Water Firefighter grant. This money will help our cancer awareness & prevention initiative, with the proceeds going towards our partnership with CancerDogs.ca., an early detection screening service for firefighters. The Romeoville Fire Department is continually committed to utilizing innovative ideas that parallel with the latest technology. It is imperative that we take care of our personnel, so they can continue to serve our community."