CHICOPEE, MA — The Chicopee Fire Department is offering free smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms and installation to residents who are at least 60 years of age and live in their own single family home.

The program has been in place since 2015 and is completely free to those who qualify. It is made possible through a grant from the department of fire services. Lt. Katie Kalbaugh of the Chicopee Fire Department says this is important because they found many adults don't have working alarms, and having one could save a life.

"The more notice you have when a fire or carbon monoxide emergency arises, the more chance you have to escape your home safely,” Kalbaugh said. “We found that adults often have less than two minutes to escape under fire conditions when the smoke alarm activates. If you don't have a smoke alarm, you pretty much eliminate that opportunity to escape safely.”

Anyone interested in receiving their free alarm and installation should call 413-594-1651 to see if they are eligible.