SAFETY AT HOME – Gun Safety
Gun Safety
Between 1994 and 1998, 6,287
children committed suicide with a firearm and an additional 1,896 children were
killed by unintentional gun injuries in the United States. All together, 23,776
children under age 19 died from a gun related injury during these years, which
is equal to 13 children a day.
Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,
Pediatrics.com (2006)
Having a
gun in your home, especially if it is not stored properly, can be a significant
risk factor for injury and death in children. Proper storage of a gun is the
most effective way to reduce the incidence of unintentional injuries. To proper store guns:
Keep the gun in a gun safe, lock box,
or a locked cabinet or drawer.
Store the gun unloaded with the bullets
locked up separately.
Never store a gun in a shoebox on the
top shelf of a closet or under the mattress or somewhere elsewhere your child
'would never look for it. Children are naturally curious and if a gun is not
stored properly, there is a good chance that a child may find it and injure
himself or someone else.
Use a gunlock or trigger lock.
Restrict your children’s access to the keys
used to lock your guns and bullets.
Educate your children about firearm safety
in case they discover a gun outside the home or in the homes of their friends.
They should know the 4 steps of the Eddie Eagle gun safety program, including:
Stop!
Don't
Touch.
Leave the
Area.
Tell an
Adult.
For more
information on the Eddie Eagle program visit http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/
Discuss gun safety with other parents or
family members if your child spends time in their homes.