Annual Powering Safe Communities grant program supports community resiliency with $170,000 in funding for public safety initiatives

To support crucial public safety initiatives and enhance the quality of life in communities across northern Illinois, ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus today announced a total of $170,000 in grants to 20 public agencies through the annual ComEd Powering Safe Communities Program. This year, the program had a special focus on clean transportation projects, which can reduce carbon emissions, improve public health outcomes and advance community resiliency.

This year’s recipient projects range from the installment of electric vehicle charging stations, to flashing signs for high-traffic areas, to replacing outdated warning sirens that will alert residents of dangerous conditions even during a power outage. Each of this year’s recipient projects improves community safety and addresses essential community needs.

“By delivering reliable and affordable electricity to northern Illinois communities for more than 100 years, ComEd knows the important role safety plays in all of our lives,” said Melissa Washington, senior vice president of governmental and external affairs at ComEd. “Each community that was awarded this grant is committed to the safety of their residents and we commend them for their efforts. ComEd is proud to work with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to help these communities’ address their public safety needs.”

Over the past seven years, the Powering Safe Communities Program has provided more than $1 million in grants for 136 local public safety projects throughout northern Illinois. Since 2016, ComEd has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, a council for Chicagoland's chief elected officials, on the program. Through this partnership, ComEd provides the program funding, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus reviews applications and administers the grants to local communities, and grant recipients match ComEd’s contribution with their own funding of equal or greater value.

“For the past six years, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been grateful to partner with ComEd and administer the Powering Safe Communities Program,” said Kevin Wallace, mayor of Bartlett and Mayors Caucus executive board chairman. “We are proud to help local governments throughout the region provide more effective public health and safety services.”

Additional information on the ComEd Powering Safe Communities Program can be found at http://mayorscaucus.org/initiatives/environment/psc/.

The 20 ComEd Powering Safe Communities Program grant recipients for 2021 are:

Bolingbrook Police Department: This grant will support the purchase of two electric utility terrain vehicles (UTV). The UTVs will allow the department to be more visible and better prepared to access and service citizens at local parks and public events, including the annual Fourth of July event which attracts more than 10,000 spectators each year.

Broadview Police Department: This grant will support the purchase and maintenance of one pole-mounted license plate reader, which will be used to identify suspect vehicles in both criminal and serious traffic infractions, and three solar-powered flashing traffic signs with amber LED warning lights for high traffic areas.

City of Chicago Heights Police Department: This grant will support the purchase and maintenance of three flashing traffic signs with amber LED warning lights, and five LED-lighted flashing stop signs. The flashing signs will be constructed in the vicinity of Lincoln-Gavin, Jefferson, Garfield and Greenbriar schools.

Village of Crete Fire Department: This project will support the purchase of six automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to equip the village’s frontline engines, rescue squad and utility response vehicles. One unit will also be placed in the Village Hall business office and board room.

City of DeKalb: This project will support the installation of an electric car charging station in the downtown area of DeKalb to encourage the use of green technology and support the use of electric cars as a clean transportation option.

Fox Metro Water Reclamation District: This project will support the installation of an electric vehicle charging station at the Fox Metro’s main administration building. The charging station would be the first step in adding electric vehicles to the district’s fleet.

Village of Glencoe: This project will support the installation of two level 2 ChargePoint electric vehicle charging stations, each of which are equipped with two charging ports to accommodate four vehicles at a time. The charging stations will also provide data about the stations’ usage and allow the village to set different rates and conditions for visitors, downtown area tenants and village fleet vehicles.

Village of Hawthorn Woods Police Department: This project will support the replacement of three outdated camera systems used in the village’s police department squad cars. The department will upgrade the video systems with upgraded technology.

Village of Hoffman Estates: This project will support the replacement of the fire department’s 20-year-old ventilation fans with new positive-pressure, battery-powered fans that will be placed on all four of the department’s frontline fire engines.

Justice Police Department: This project will support the purchase of a speed-monitoring message trailer to improve safety for children around Commissioner’s Park and at George T. Wilkins and Frank A. Brodnicki elementary schools.

Kildeer Police: This project will support the purchase of a full-matrix message display board with a trailer for use by the village and the Southwest Community Response Team in Lake County, Ill. The department will use the message display board to address public safety needs and enhance government communication to residents and the public on health and education.

Kirkland Police Department: This project will support the investment in electronic radar speed monitoring devices to create a safer environment for residents and visitors of the downtown business district and school grounds.

Norridge Police Department: This project will support the purchase and maintenance of three flashing traffic signs with amber LED warning lights to improve the health and safety of the village’s residents and visitors. The signs will be installed near Leigh Grammar School, James Giles Grammar School and Norridge Park.

Village of Port Barrington: This project will support the purchase of an electric vehicle for municipal use. This purchase will showcase the village’s commitment to energy conservation.

Richton Park Fire Department: This project will support the replacement of the fire department’s gas-powered positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fans with electric and battery-operated PPV fans.

Village of River Forest: This project will support the installation of an electric vehicle charging station near River Forest Village Hall for future electric vehicles and visitors of River Forest’s village hall and nearby parks and businesses.

Village of Schaumburg: This project will support the replacement of outdated warning signs, that have been in use since the 1970s, with signs upgraded with sirens that are compatible with the new battery backup systems. The new signs will alert the village of dangerous conditions, even during a power outage. The advanced warning will give residents enough time to seek shelter from incoming threats.

Westchester Police Department: This project will support the purchase of four new automated external defibrillators and associated training accessories that allow officers to render immediate assistance while waiting for fire and emergency medical service personnel to arrive in emergency situations.

Village of Wilmette: This project will support the purchase of an electric vehicle charging station in downtown Wilmette. The weatherproof, commercial grade charging station will be accessible to the public 24-hours a day and allow the village to set different rates and conditions for users.

City of Woodstock: This project will support the purchase of and training for 3D laser scanner accident and crime scene re-creation camera equipment. The 3D cameras will allow for real time re-creation of law enforcement investigation scenes and offer direct aid to improve outcomes for situations concerning forensics, accident reconstruction, crime scene investigation, arson investigation, post-blast investigation, fire and security pre-planning, bullet trajectory, bloodstain pattern analysis and augmented/virtual reality operations. The use of scientific verification of reported details in law enforcement can de-escalate many situations that might otherwise result in sensational or controversial public interpretation.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 100 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a membership organization of the Chicago region's 275 cities, towns and villages. Founded in 1997 by then Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and leading mayors from nine suburban municipal groups, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus pushes past geographical boundaries and local interests to work on public policy issues. The caucus provides a forum for metropolitan Chicago's chief elected officials to collaborate on common problems and work toward a common goal of improving the quality of life for the millions of people who call the region home. For more information visit http://mayorscaucus.org/.

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