Fire prevention starts with education and the Prevention Matters Grant is helping Illinois fire departments bring innovative, hands-on fire and life safety education directly to the communities they serve. Through this grant program, Camp I Am Me provides funding to fire departments for projects that strengthen community risk reduction, fire prevention, and public education efforts.
This year, four Illinois fire departments were selected for funding, each with a unique project designed to make their communities safer:
Bartlett Fire Protection District will purchase a PassFire burn pan to provide hands-on fire extinguisher training for local businesses, churches, and community members. The equipment will allow firefighters to safely teach residents how to properly use a fire extinguisher when faced with a small, controllable fire.
Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District will add an ADA-compliant inflatable fire safety house to its public education program. The mobile classroom will provide children, adults, seniors, and individuals with disabilities an interactive way to practice escape planning, recognize fire hazards, respond to smoke alarms, and learn other critical fire safety skills.
Rolling Meadows Fire Department will use its grant to purchase an interactive house fire simulator and supporting educational materials. The simulator will help firefighters demonstrate common home fire hazards, smoke alarm activation, escape planning, and safe responses at schools, community events, senior programs, home safety visits, and more.
Sugar Grove Fire Protection District is launching “Safe at Every Age,” an ongoing education initiative focused on both children and seniors. Students will receive Family Fire Drill Kits and become “Fire Safety Champions” after completing home fire drills, while seniors will receive practical safety tools, participate in Safety Bingo, and have the opportunity to receive voluntary home safety assessments.
Together, these projects demonstrate that prevention matters and so does making fire safety education accessible, practical, and engaging for everyone. Camp I Am Me is proud to support these departments as they work to prevent fires, reduce injuries, and create safer communities throughout Illinois.
To learn more about the Prevention Matters Grant, visit www.IFSA.org/Grants