Protect Our Children - Firearm Safety For Families
Improper Firearm Storage Can Lead To Injury or Death
When it comes to firearms, improper and unintended use can have drastic consequences. Findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown that there are nearly 500 unintentional firearm deaths and more than 26,000 injuries from unintentional shootings annually in the United States. With accidental firearm deaths in homes with unsecure firearms being nearly four times higher than in homes with securely stored firearms, proper storage and precautions can help prevent this from happening in your home.
Trigger locks, devices that block access to the trigger mechanism of the firearm, can play a key role in prevention. Households that utilize firearm locking devices, like trigger locks, have a 73% lower risk of youth accessing and using firearms unsupervised, according to the American Journal of Public Health.
Iris Family Support Center is here to support your family in creating a safe home environment. The following information will walk you through proper storage and other ways to help keep children safe in a home that has a firearm.
C.A.R.E.S. About Firearm Storage
Trigger locks and proper storage of firearms can play a key role in making sure that children are kept safe. A study by the American Journal of Public Health found that households that utilize firearm locking devices, such a trigger locks, lowered the risk of youth accessing and using firearms unsupervised by 73%.
While preparing to store you firearm securely, you can from the acronym C.A.R.E.S.
-
Your first step is to make sure the firearm is unloaded. Remove any ammunition from the firearm and make sure the chamber is empty.
-
Apply the trigger lock correctly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific lock to ensure the lock is applied securely.
-
Keep firearms and ammunition inaccessible to children and unauthorized users.
Storing ammunition and firearms separately can help making sure that children and unauthorized users from having quick access to a functioning weapon.
Children have a 78% lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85% lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries, according to the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan.
-
Make sure that the firearm is securely locked. A lock should be properly fitted and secured before placing in storage as a final check.
-
Store the locked firearm in a secure location such as a locked safe or other secure storage.
We can all play a part in keeping children safe.
We live in a world where safety at home is more important than ever; and that includes how we store and talk about firearms. Whether or not you own a gun, you can play a major role in making sure your child stays safe around them. The following tips can help ensure your home and conversations support a culture of safety and responsibility.
-
Speak openly and honestly about gun safety with your children to help eliminate the mystery surrounding them and let know they can come to you with questions or concerns.
-
Through media and video games, children can be exposed to weapons at a young age. Work to ensure that your child understands the difference between entertainment and reality so they do not mistake a real gun for a toy.
-
Caregivers need to always store firearms so they are not accessible to unauthorized users, especially children. Firearms are stored safely when they are in a locked safe or equipped with a trigger lock.
-
-
The Iris Community Partners program is here to support in making sure your kids stay safe in and out of the home. Learn more and get in touch with Community Partners by clicking here or by calling us at 260-421-5000.
No Questions Asked: Accessing Trigger Locks
The Iris Family Support Center Community Partners program wants to help ensure that parents and caregivers are equipped with the resources they need to create safe home environments. Families with children in their homes that live in Allen, DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley Counties can request trigger locks to ensure that firearms are stored safely. Give us a call at 260-421-5000 or fill out the form at the button below.
