NORWICH – The Norwich Fire Department is partnering with the American Red Cross as part of their, “Sound the Alarm,” campaign to provide free smoke detectors to residents of the City of Norwich this month.

The organizations will deliver and install smoke detectors at no cost to city residents beginning at approximately 9 a.m. on October 26 in Norwich. Fire department representatives said the Red Cross will go door to door with door-hanger styled sign-up sheets to get an idea of who is interested in the program.

According to Norwich Fire Department Chief Jan Papelino, this is the first time that the City of Norwich has partnered with the Red Cross to bring a fire safety program to city residents, and he hopes citizens will take advantage of the opportunity.

“If you look at multiple fatality fires that occur nationwide, a lot of the residences that those occur in didn’t have smoke detectors,” said Papelino. “This is an opportunity for people who don’t have or can’t afford smoke detectors to get them and have them installed at no cost.”