New London — The American Red Cross Connecticut Chapter and the New London Fire Department are partnering to offer free smoke alarms and installations to city residents on Wednesday, July 22.

Red Cross volunteers and firefighters will visit homes between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Teams making visits will share fire safety and preparedness information and install smoke alarms in homes as requested.

Volunteers will help families understand the importance of fire safety and help them develop personalized family escape plans to use in the event a fire breaks out in their home.

"We are excited to offer these visits," said Sue Bolen, senior director of emergency services with the Red Cross Connecticut Chapter. "They are easy to schedule, take only about 20 minutes and might prevent a tragedy."

Residents may schedule a visit by going to www.redcross.org/ct/schedule-a-visit or by calling (877) 287-3327 and choosing option 1 on the menu to request a smoke alarm installation.