The city of Stamford is giving away smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to residents to help prevent fire emergencies. 

Firefighters have been installing the devices at homes throughout the city as part of a program for the past several years.

Officials say each year 3,500 people across the country die in house fires with more than 15,000 people injured.

They say 400 people die because of carbon monoxide poisoning and 20,000 end up in the emergency room.

Officials stress most of the deaths occur in homes that do not have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

In Stamford, local ordinance requires all dwellings to have working alarms.

Officials say it's important to change or check the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every six months.

For more information about the free program, click here.