American Red Cross to install free smoke alarms in Madera homes Saturday

The American Red Cross of the Central Valley will install free smoke alarms in Madera homes on Saturday.

Partnering with the city of Madera, volunteers will install the smoke alarms from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting at Madera Parks and Recreation John W. Wells Youth Center, 701 E. Fifth St.

“Seven times a day, someone in our country dies in a home fire,” said Red Cross Preparedness Manager Eddie Zamora. “So by installing these smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information, we’re helping to save lives and empower Valley families to make the right decisions during emergencies.”

Red Cross volunteers at the Parks and Recreation facility will also be educating children from grades three to five on The Pillowcase Project, a free emergency preparedness training for kids starting at 1:30 p.m.

The event is part of a national effort to reduce home fire deaths by installing free smoke alarms through the country and educating families on the importance of having an emergency preparedness plan.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 8:09 PM with the headline "American Red Cross to install free smoke alarms in Madera homes Saturday."