NSSF’S PROJECT CHILDSAFE NAMES MIKE RAINWATER OF LINCOLN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IN LOUISIANA “S.A.F.E. SUMMER LOCAL CHAMPION” IN FIREARMS SAFETY

RUSTON, La. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has recognized Mike Rainwater, a Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy in Ruston, La., as a “Local Champion” for his commitment to firearms safety and responsible storage in his community. Rainwater has taught firearms safety for more than 25 years, including 20 years as the lead instructor for Louisiana’s Hunter Education Safety program at the sheriff’s office.

“Habitual and responsible firearms storage is paramount to ensuring safety in the home,” Rainwater said. “I teach the children in my classes that if they find a firearm unattended, they should not touch it and alert an adult.”

The Project ChildSafe S.A.F.E. Summer campaign is an annual campaign that recognizes people who are making a positive impact in their communities by supporting responsible firearms ownership. The campaign emphasizes the importance of responsible firearms storage – particularly in the summer when children are home from school and more likely to be unattended – and is a reminder that proper firearms storage is the #1 way to help prevent firearms accidents, theft and misuse.

“S.A.F.E.” serves as an acronym for Store your firearms responsibly when not in use; Always practice firearms safety; Focus on your responsibilities as a firearms owner; and Education is key to preventing accidents. The effort is focused on providing resources to help gun owners take actions and share information that will help keep their families and communities safer.

“I find Project ChildSafe to be an invaluable program, because safety of firearms in the home is paramount,” Rainwater said. “I believe in keeping firearms locked up when not in use and support any effort to facilitate that critical step in firearms safety.”

“Mike Rainwater has shown a deep commitment to Project ChildSafe and our mission to prevent firearms accidents by encouraging safe firearms storage,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. “He demonstrates a strong dedication to firearms safety, and his work plays a vital role in helping reduce firearms accidents.”

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About NSSF’s Project ChildSafe Program
NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (prior to 2003 the program was called Project HomeSafe) as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. While children are a primary focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help children and adults practice greater firearms safety. Through partnerships with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies, the program has provided more than 37 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners in all 50 states and the five U.S. territories, which is in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included with new firearms sold since 1998. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.