Firearm Safety
With safe handling, secure storage and education, many firearm deaths and injuries can be prevented. Whether we have a gun in our home or not, we all have a responsibility regarding firearm safety.
Creating a safer community: Do your part:
- Always assume a firearm is loaded.
- Never point a firearm at anyone, even if you think it is unloaded.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
- Secure all firearms in your home and vehicle. Hiding is not securing.
- Secure firearms and ammunition separately.
- Model safe firearm handling and safety for others.
- Educate your family and children about firearm safety.
- Talk to other parents about how firearms are secured in your home before your children have a playdate or sleepover.
- Remove firearms from the home if you are concerned about someone living there with a history violence, depression or who has threatened suicide.
- Contact your local law enforcement to find out about programs to get rid of an unwanted firearm in your area.
Firearm safety resources
American College of Surgeons
Be SMART
- Be SMART (video, English)
- Be SMART (video, Spanish)
- Asking About Secure Gun Storage
- Talking to Your Kids about Guns – English
- Talking to Your Kids about Guns - Spanish
Project ChildSafe
ProjectChildSafe.org – a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.