News Archive

NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® is making available firearms safety education materials to Texas communities after being awarded a $1 million grant earlier this year from the Office of Governor Greg Abbott. The goal of the initiative is to help reduce firearms accidents, theft and misuse, including suicide.

Texas selected NSSF as the recipient of the grant because of the strong track record of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program, which for two decades has provided genuine firearms safety education to communities in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. Project ChildSafe is a firearms safety program created by gun owners for gun owners. It has distributed more than 38 million free firearm safety kits that include a gun lock through partnerships with more than 15,000 law enforcement departments.

“We are very grateful to the state of Texas for this $1 million grant and for their confidence and trust in NSSF and the Project ChildSafe program to promote responsible firearms ownership,” said NSSF President Joe Bartozzi. “We’ll be reminding gun owners that there’s a safe storage option that fits their lifestyle — whether it’s a gun lock, lockbox or full-size gun safe — that will help keep guns out of the wrong hands.”

NSSF has been the recipient of many grants to support expansion of its award-winning Project ChildSafe program, including most recently a $2.4 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Justice-Bureau of Justice Assistance.

NSSF will make its Project ChildSafe firearm safety kits, which contain a cable-style gun lock and safety brochure, available to communities through law enforcement agencies. The firearm safety kits can be ordered by law enforcement via the program’s website. In addition to the gun locks, partners will receive a poster reminding gun owners of the many gun safety resources at ProjectChildSafe.org, including firearm safety videos featuring McGruff the Crime Dog for young children, a video on how parents can talk to their kids about gun safety, a firearms and suicide prevention brochure, a child safety pledge and an infographic illustrating various safe storage devices for different lifestyles and budgets to secure firearms when not in use. NSSF’s “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.®” campaign is a component of all Project ChildSafe initiatives.

“We are looking forward to working with Texas communities and emphasizing that securely storing firearms when not in use is the number one way to help prevent accidents, misuse and thefts,” said Bartozzi.

Safe storage of firearms works. Fatal firearms accidents have declined by 50 percent from 1997 to 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with unintentional firearm deaths accounting for less than 1 percent of fatal accidents from all causes.

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About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

BATON ROUGE, LA. – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), local officials, community organizations and law enforcement today joined together to launch “Project ChildSafe Baton Rouge,” a city-wide initiative to help prevent firearms accidents and thefts by encouraging all gun owners to store their firearms responsibly.

Central to the effort are the thousands of free firearm safety kits, which include a gun lock, provided by NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program. Locks and educational materials will be available from the Baton Rouge Police Department and at several community centers and church locations throughout the city.

“It’s heartening to see how many of our community leaders and organizations have united here today in support of this program, and I appreciate the National Shooting Sports Foundation partnering with my office to bring this program to life,” Mayor-President Broome said. “I know I speak for all of Baton Rouge when I say we look forward to spreading the message of firearms safety by working together as a community.”

Today’s launch event kicks off what organizers hope will be a city-wide and sustained effort over the next year. In addition to the gun locks, NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program is also providing a library of resources on a number of gun safety topics, including secure storage options, safe storage and suicide prevention and how to have “the talk” about firearms safety with children.

The initiative is also partnering with several local organizations from the faith community, mental health and suicide prevention advocates, veterans, retailers and hunting and shooting groups to help share messages and information about responsible firearms storage.

“We’re doing this together because securely storing firearms when not in use works – it’s a real solution for safer communities,” said Bill Brassard, NSSF’s Senior Director, Communications. “In recent years, fatal firearms accidents have dropped to historic lows. That’s a trend we would like to see continue in the right direction, and that starts with emphasizing that hiding your gun is not the same as securely storing your firearm.”

In addition to Mayor-President Broome, the Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar C. Moore III, US Attorney Brandon Fremin and NSSF, local stakeholders and organizations involved in the effort include Fathers on A Mission, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, East and West Feliciana Parish District Attorney Samuel C. D’Aquilla, Firearms Range & Clothing, Councilman Lamont Cole and the Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Community Center, Councilman Tae Welch and the Chaneyville Community Center, Councilwoman Erika L. Green and the Charles R. Kelly Community Center, Family and Youth Service Center, Beacon Light Church, Oasis Christian Church, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Boy Scouts of America, A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Gun locks will be available for pickup – no questions asked – from the following locations:

BRPD 1st District

4445 Plank Rd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70805

225-389-3866

BRPD 2nd District

2265 Highland Rd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

225-389-3863

BRPD 3rd District

9000 Airline Hwy.

Baton Rouge, LA 70815

225-389-5247

BRPD 4th District

8227 Scenic Hwy.

Baton Rouge, LA 70807

225-389-3033

BRPD 5th District

201 North 3rd St.

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

225-389-3854

Chaneyville Community Center

13211 Jackson Road

Zachary, LA 70791

225-654-3309

Beacon Light Baptist Church

7513 Prescott Road

Baton Rouge, LA 70812

225-358-9071

MLK Community Center

4000 Gus Young Avenue

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

225-389-7804

Charles R. Kelly Community Center

3535 Riley Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70805

225-389-5464

Family and Youth Service Center

1120 Government Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

225-239-7801

Firearms Range & Clothing

9378 S. Choctaw Drive

Baton Rouge, LA 70815

225-926-2550

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About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999. Since then it has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.

NEWTOWN, Conn. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) is pleased to announce its McGruff® on Gun Safety videos in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), Not Cool, Kyle and Molly’s Mischief, have each been awarded Bronze Tellys in the Social Responsibility category for Branded Content in the 40th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, production companies and including Vice, Vimeo, Hearst Digital Media, BuzzFeed and A&E Networks.

NSSF has partnered with NCPC to teach youth the importance of gun safety through two short videos featuring McGruff and his loveable nephew Scruff. In these videos, Scruff teaches his friends what to do if they find a gun or see someone bring a gun to school.

“NSSF is pushing the boundaries for video and television innovation and creativity at a time when the industry is rapidly changing,” said Sabrina Dridje, Managing Director of the Telly Awards. “This award is a tribute to the talent and vision of its creators and a celebration of the diversity of work being made today for all screens.”

“NSSF believes strongly in teaching young children and their parents about firearms safety, and we are thrilled to have the McGruff videos, a creative collaboration with NCPC, honored with prestigious Telly Awards,” said Steve Sanetti, CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “We hope this recognition will mean an even larger viewership of these videos and their important safety messages.”

“NCPC is delighted to be recognized for the work we’ve done with NSSF on educating children and their families on gun safety,” said Ann Harkins, President and CEO of the National Crime Prevention Council. “The McGruff videos are an informative and fun way to learn about the 4-steps to gun safety, and to get families talking about it together.”

The McGruff on Gun Safety videos were created by Danger Pigeon Studios.

The winner’s announcement capped a year-long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of The Telly Awards. Throughout 2018-2019, The Telly Awards celebrated four decades of honoring the video and television industry, whether through its inaugural international screening series or its online video interviews with industry experts. This year also saw the continued expansion of new categories further to the awards’ recent initiative to rebuild the honors for the multi-screen era. New categories included serialized Branded Content and expanded Social Video categories.

Last year, The Telly Awards attracted more than 12,000 entries from top video content producers including Condé Nast, Netflix, Refinery29, RadicalMedia, T Brand Studio and Ogilvy & Mather.

The full list of the 40th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners.

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About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

About National Crime Prevention Council

The National Crime Prevention Council is the nonprofit leader in crime prevention. For almost 40 years, our symbol of safety, McGruff the Crime Dog®, has delivered easy-to-use crime prevention tips that protect what matters most — you, your family, and your community. Since 1982, NCPC has continuously provided the American public with comprehensive educational materials, training programs, and effective crime prevention messaging, delivered in large part through its vast network of more than 15,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, crime prevention associations, community groups, foundations, and corporate partners. For more information on how NCPC can be a public safety expert for you or how to “Take A Bite Out of Crime®,” visit www.ncpc.org.

Find The Telly Awards Online: Website: www.TellyAwards.com

NEWTOWN, Conn., and RICHMOND, Va. – The Project ChildSafe® Foundation today announced that Guns.com, a leading online firearms retailer, has become a Premier Sponsor of the National Shooting Sports Foundation®’s (NSSF®) Project ChildSafe program with a $25,000 donation to help promote the responsible storage of firearms when they are not in use.

“We sincerely thank Guns.com for its very generous donation to our Project ChildSafe program,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF CEO and Chairman of the Project ChildSafe Foundation. “Such support, along with the support from the broader shooting sports industry, really helps Project ChildSafe expand its message of genuine firearms safety and storing guns responsibly when not in use.”

The donation will provide thousands of new gun locks and safety education materials to the Project ChildSafe program. These locks and materials are distributed free to the public through partnerships with law enforcement agencies, hunter education classes, youth programs, community organizations and other partners across the country.

In addition to the donation, Guns.com will also partner with NSSF and Project ChildSafe to make safety information available to its customers through a new safety page on its website and by providing safety materials in product shipping.

“Storing firearms responsibly and securely when they aren’t in use is the absolute best way to prevent firearms accidents and to help keep guns out of the wrong hands,” said Chris Callahan, Guns.com founder and CEO. “As one of the largest retailers of firearms online, we want our customers to take that responsibility as seriously as we do.”

Project ChildSafe is marking its 20th year of promoting firearms safety education. NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. It is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive firearms safety program and is funded almost entirely by NSSF member companies. The centerpiece of the program is its free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-style gun lock and safety brochure, and key educational materials and resources. To date, the program has distributed more than 38 million free gun locks in all 50 states and five U.S. territories.

In that same time period, the number of fatal firearms accidents across the U.S. has dropped to historic lows, even as gun sales have increased. Demand for Project ChildSafe safety kits and program resources has more than quadrupled in recent years. Donations, grants and corporate sponsorships from partners like Guns.com help Project ChildSafe keep up with requests for its gun safety materials.

Guns.com made its donation to the Project ChildSafe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity that helps support the Project ChildSafe firearms safety program. More information on Project ChildSafe sponsorship opportunities can be found on the Project ChildSafe website.

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About Project ChildSafe

NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About Guns.com

Guns.com started in 2011 with a goal to create a website where gun owners could come for news, product reviews and the latest information on issues that affect them. Today it is the most trusted source of information about firearms online. Guns.com has also pioneered a “better way” to legally buy and sell guns online, based on interviews with thousands of gun owners, store owners and manufacturers.

About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

WICHITA, Kan.—The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), along with the Wichita Police Department and Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), today launched Project ChildSafe to encourage responsible firearms ownership with an emphasis on securely storing firearms when not in use.

At a press event at Wichita Gun Club, Wichita P.D. announced that it will be distributing hundreds of free firearms safety kits donated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the firearms industry to encourage responsible storage of guns when not in use. The goal is to help prevent firearms accidents, thefts and misuse, including suicide.

“The gun locks and educational materials donated by NSSF and Project ChildSafe help remind gun owners about their responsibility to store their guns safely so they’re not accessible by children or unauthorized adults,” said Wichita P.D. Lieutenant Kevin Kochenderfer.

Wichita P.D. officers provided demonstrations of how the Project ChildSafe cable lock can be properly installed on various types of firearms — pistols, rifles and shotguns — so that it will help prevent the firearm from being loaded and fired.

Other secure gun storage options available to gun owners also were discussed. “We’re pleased to be partnering with Wichita Police Department and working together to let gun owners know they have many secure storage options—from gun locks to lock boxes to full-size gun safes—to choose from to help keep their guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Bill Brassard, NSSF Senior Director of Communications. “The number one way to help prevent accidents, thefts and misuse is to securely store guns when not in use.”

POMA, whose annual conference is being held in Wichita this week, has a membership of outdoor communicators who cover hunting and shooting sports and are advocates for responsible firearms handling and storage. “POMA has long been a supporter of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program and its messaging that helps prevent firearms accidents at home, during transportation and in the field,” said Kevin Orthman, POMA Executive Director.

Unsecured guns can pose an accident risk to children and create opportunities for theft and misuse, including suicide attempts. Keeping guns out of the wrong hands can be accomplished when gun owners put safeguards in place appropriate to their home and family circumstances. Proper storage can help prevent guns from being stolen and used by criminals, and provide that vital “pause” that can mean the difference between life and death for people experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Project ChildSafe is a NSSF program marking its 20th year of promoting firearm safety through the distribution of safety education messages and free firearm safety kits that include a gun lock. The program’s website, ProjectChildSafe.org, has many gun safety resources, including a video on how parents can talk to their kids about gun safety and two new, award-winning videos for young children featuring the McGruff character warning kids to “Stop. Don’t Touch. Get Away. Tell an Adult.” if they should come across an unattended firearm.

Through partnerships with more than 15,000 local law enforcement agencies and more than 9,000 organizational supporters, Project ChildSafe has helped educate firearm owners on the importance of gun safety, while distributing more than 38 million free firearm safety kits — which include a free gun lock — to communities in all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

For more information on Project ChildSafe and how to get involved, visit projectchildsafe.org.

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About Project ChildSafe

NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

NEWTOWN, Conn., and POWELL, Ohio — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association of the firearms industry, is pleased to announce that firearms storage manufacturer Console Vault® has become a financial sponsor of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe® program.

“Thefts of firearms from vehicles has been a concern in many parts of the country and gun owners need options for keeping their firearms inaccessible when not in use so they are secure and concealed from would-be thieves,” says NSSF President Joe Bartozzi. “Knowing that many guns used in crimes are stolen, we’re very glad that Console Vault is supporting Project ChildSafe’s efforts to educate gun owners about secure storage in vehicles.”

NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. The centerpiece of the program is its free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-style gun lock and safety brochure. To date, the program has distributed more than 38 million free gun locks through partnerships with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies.

In addition to financial support, Console Vault has also developed a firearms safety section on its website and is actively promoting Project ChildSafe in its outreach efforts. To help emphasize a gun owner’s responsibility to keep firearms out of the wrong hands and provide tips for the safe handling, transportation and storage of firearms in vehicles, NSSF has also developed a brochure, “Firearms Safety in Vehicles,”

“We truly believe in the work Project ChildSafe is doing to promote genuine firearms safety,” said Ken Kish, Vice President of Marketing at Console Vault. “The motto, ‘Own It? Respect It. Secure It.’ says it all. We want to join Project ChildSafe and NSSF in being part of a solution that helps prevent firearms accidents and thefts.”

Project ChildSafe is almost entirely funded by NSSF member companies. In recent years, demand for safety kits and program resources has more than quadrupled. Donations, grants and corporate sponsorships from partners like Console Vault help NSSF meet the demand.

Console Vault made its donation to the Project ChildSafe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity that helps support the Project ChildSafe firearms safety program.

More information on Project ChildSafe sponsorship opportunities can be found on the Project ChildSafe website.

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About Project ChildSafe

NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About Console Vault

Console Vault is the original in-vehicle safe company. We design safes that secure and conceal our customers’ firearms and valuables from unauthorized access. Our products are developed with exceptional quality, fit, finish and durability. We serve the direct-to-consumer and original equipment manufacturer markets. Within our product lineup, we sell in-vehicle safes for many of today’s most popular vehicles. Console Vault products provide a shield of safety and protection for our customers and their communities. The company is headquartered in Powell, Ohio, with distribution centers in Wooster, Ohio, and Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information about Console Vault, visit www.consolevault.com.

About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

NEWTOWN, Conn. – Project ChildSafe, a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, is making a national call to action urging firearms owners to make safe firearms storage a priority this summer and beyond. To help reinforce this effort, Project ChildSafe provides a library of videos and tools that can help families facilitate important conversations about gun safety—regardless of whether they have a gun in their home or not— in an effort to help prevent firearms accidents.

“Storing firearms responsibly, in homes and vehicles, is the number one way to help prevent firearms accidents, theft and misuse,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF’s CEO and Chairman of the Project ChildSafe Foundation. “As summer begins, it’s a time of year when kids spend much more time in the home and in the car, so it’s especially important for gun owners to make sure they’re properly securing firearms.”

Project ChildSafe and NSSF are launching the effort to coincide with National Safety Month, observed every year in June. The call to action goes beyond asking individual gun owners to store firearms responsibly when not in use and urges the entire gun-owning community to share and promote Project ChildSafe resources that can help educate adults and children everywhere on how to practice firearms safety.

“We have numerous online resources including videos, infographics, tip sheets and other tools we hope gun owners will use, discuss with their families and friends and share on their own social media pages, blogs and websites,” Steve Sanetti said.

These tools include:

Videos

• Protect the People You Love[1]
• Safety is a Habit[2]
• “Molly’s Mischief” featuring McGruff the Crime Dog (For children in grades K to 2)[3]
• “Not Cool Kyle” featuring McGruff the Crime Dog (For children in grades 2 to 6)[4]
• Talking With Kids About Gun Safety
• Many Paths to Firearms Safety
• Introduction to Range Safety and Etiquette

Interactive Content

• S.A.F.E. Summer Quiz
• Myth Busters Quiz
• Project ChildSafe Child’s Pledge
• The Road to Responsible Gun Ownership

Brochures and Tip Sheets

• Firearms Safety in Vehicles
• Safe Storage Options for Your Lifestyle
• 10 Tips for Firearms Safety in Your Home
• Firearms Responsibility in the Home
• Firearms and Suicide Prevention

“Although the number of fatal firearms accidents is at historic lows, the fact remains that these accidents are almost always preventable,” said Steve Sanetti. “If you have a gun, be sure your family understands the safety rules, and please, always store it responsibly.”

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About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

[1] Developed in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance

[2] Developed in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance

[3] Developed in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council

[4] Developed in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council

NEWTOWN, Conn., and WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) unveiled a new public service announcement (PSA), “Protect the People You Love,” to encourage families to talk about gun safety—regardless of whether they have a gun in the home.

The PSA, which is viewable and downloadable on the Project ChildSafe website in time for National Safety Month this June, focuses on the false assumptions that children are unaware of firearms in the home or know not to touch them without permission. The 30-second spot emphasizes how families can help prevent firearms accidents by talking about gun safety with children. Further, storing firearms responsibly addresses the issue that many children are often familiar with where and how firearms are stored—much more than parents might think.

“Parents and caregivers talk to kids about big issues like drugs, sex and alcohol; we need to talk to our kids about gun safety as well. Even if you don’t own a gun yourself, having this conversation is vital,” said BJA Director Jon Adler. “If you don’t have this talk with your kids, they’re going to learn about guns from someone else, whether on TV or from friends, and chances are they aren’t going to learn what you’d want to teach them.”

As more Americans continue to purchase firearms for personal protection and safety, the importance of storing them is critical. Although the number of fatal firearms accidents is at historic lows, the fact remains that these accidents are almost always preventable. Proper firearms storage helps prevent thefts, accidents and misuse, such as suicide.

“Protecting your family doesn’t stop with bringing a gun into your home, it also means doing what you need to do so a loaded gun isn’t picked up by a child or someone who may be at risk of harming themselves – or others,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “If you have a gun, be sure your family understands the safety rules, and always store it responsibly. That’s the best way to protect the people you love.”

To further help parents in having the important conversation about firearms safety, Project ChildSafe also has an instructional video, “Talking to Kids about Gun Safety,” on its website.

Funding for the PSA comes from a $2.4 million grant that BJA awarded NSSF’s Project ChildSafe initiative in 2015. Project ChildSafe provides firearms safety education messaging and free gun locks to communities throughout the country in an effort to help reduce firearms accidents, theft and misuse.

# # #

About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-FG-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

NEWTOWN, Conn., and WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) today unveiled a new video series, “Many Paths to Firearm Safety,” to help new and potential gun owners understand the responsibilities they have if they decide to keep a firearm in their home.

The series reflects that more Americans—especially women—are buying guns for many different reasons, ranging from personal protection to recreational shooting. The central message is that while there are many different reasons why someone would choose to buy a gun, the common thread among them must be a commitment to store firearms responsibly when not in use so they can’t be picked up by a child, stolen or accessed by someone who may want to harm themselves.

“Firearms accidents and thefts are almost always preventable, and the ‘key’ to preventing them is safeguarding the access key itself. Protecting and securing the means for accessing locked firearms is critical to their safe storage,” said BJA Director Jon Adler. “We want to push that message as much as possible. These new videos emphasize the importance of securing firearms safely in the home. We want to ensure that personally owned firearms are only accessible by their law-abiding, legal owners, and not by unsupervised children, criminals or persons who might harm themselves. The key is the ‘key’ to keeping firearms safely in the hands of those responsible for them!”

The videos are portrayals of three different gun owners and their stories of ownership, along with the steps they took to make sure they will handle and store their firearms safely when not in use. The portrayals of “Whitney,” “David” and “Mateo” are meant to be relatable to the majority of gun owners, whether they grew up with firearms or they are considering buying their first gun.

“Gun ownership and personal responsibility are inseparable, as our mantra, ‘Own It? Respect It. Secure It.’ reinforces,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “We want to make sure all gun owners understand that, and know we have the resources they need to help them store their firearms responsibly when not in use. For anyone who can’t or won’t take that responsibility, we strongly urge them not to own a firearm.”

The new videos are viewable online on the Project ChildSafe website.

Funding for the videos comes from a $2.4 million grant BJA awarded NSSF’s Project ChildSafe initiative in 2015. Project ChildSafe provides firearms safety education messaging and free gun locks to communities throughout the country in an effort to help reduce firearms accidents, theft and misuse. NSSF is the trade association of the firearms industry.

# # #

About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-FG-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

NEWTOWN, Conn., and SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Project ChildSafe Foundation today announced that Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s have become Premier Sponsors of the National Shooting Sports Foundation®’s (NSSF®) Project ChildSafe® program with a $25,000 donation to help promote safe firearms handling and responsible storage when not in use.

The donation from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s provides thousands of new gun locks and safety education literature to the Project ChildSafe program, which will be distributed at no charge through partnerships with law enforcement agencies, hunter education classes, community organizations and other partners across the country.

“This generous support from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s emphasizes that all of us in the shooting sports industry are dedicated to promoting genuine firearms safety and secure storage of firearms when not in use to help make our communities safer,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF CEO and Chairman of the Project ChildSafe Foundation. “Thanks to this help from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, more gun locks and gun safety information will get into the hands of firearms owners. We’ll continue passing down a legacy of responsibility to future generations, and we’ll further spread the message of ‘Own It? Respect It. Secure It.’”

NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. The centerpiece of the program is its free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-style gun lock and safety brochure. To date, the program has distributed more than 38 million free gun locks through partnerships with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s has long supported NSSF’s firearm safety initiatives, including Project ChildSafe, National Shooting Sports Month and Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, a public awareness campaign that educates on the consequences of illegal “straw” firearm purchases. NSSF named Bass Pro Shops its Retail Partner of the Year at the annual SHOT Show earlier this year in Las Vegas.

Project ChildSafe is almost entirely funded by NSSF member companies. In recent years, demand for the kits and program resources has more than quadrupled. Donations, grants and corporate sponsorships from partners like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s help Project ChildSafe keep up with the demand.

Bass Pro Shops made its donation to the Project ChildSafe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity that helps support the Project ChildSafe firearms safety program. More information on Project ChildSafe sponsorship opportunities can be found on the Project ChildSafe website.

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About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About Bass Pro Shops®: Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”