Red Cross installs 300 free smoke alarms in Compton homes

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Smoke alarms can significantly reduce the risk of death during a home fire.

On Saturday, the American Red Cross and Kidde teamed up with ABC7 to help install 300 new smoke alarms in homes in Compton.

Volunteers went door-to-door giving residents critical home-fire prevention information.

Compton native and NFL veteran Marcellus Wiley also took part in the event.

"Back home in my community, Compton, California, I'm saving lives," Wiley said. "Out here with the Red Cross National Fire Prevention Week, and we just installed some smoke alarms making our community safer."

The event is part of the American Red Cross "Prepare SoCal" campaign.

These fire preparedness efforts aim to reduce deaths and injuries due to fire by 25 percent over the next five years.