PROJECT CHILDSAFE® EMPHASIZES GUN SAFETY AS SUMMER KICKS OFF
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