According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the absence of guns from homes is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm-related injuries to children and adolescents. But if there are guns in the home, AAP notes that storing guns unloaded and locked, with ammunition kept in a separate place, can mitigate the risk of child firearm injury.
Is there a problem? Yes, we have a serious problem.
What is a Solution? Secure Firearm Storage
Experts agree: the safest way to store a gun is unloaded, and locked, with ammunition locked in a separate location. All keys or passcodes to the locks should be hidden / not given to children or teens.
SEPARATE: store ammunition separately from the firearm in a secure location
UNLOAD: remove all ammunition from the firearm, including any chambered rounds
LOCK: secure unloaded firearms with a firearm locking device, such as a cable lock, or in a locked location, like a safe or lock box equipped with a key, combination, or biometric technology that limits access
Talk to Your Child About Gun Safety
- Help them understand that real firearms are dangerous and can cause serious harm or death, unlike toy guns or those seen in movies, TV shows, or video games.
- Teach your child that if they ever come across a firearm, they should not touch it, immediately leave the area, and inform an adult right away.
- Encourage your child to report to an adult immediately if they see a firearm in someone’s backpack at school or hear about someone planning to bring a gun to school.
- Reinforce that strong emotions like fear and anger can be expressed in safe, nonviolent ways.
Discussing gun safety is important, but it’s not a guarantee of safety.
