FIREARM SAFETY FOR CHILDREN

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FIREARM SAFETY FOR CHILDREN

• Information and Prevention

April 2009
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Training Objectives

• Recognize the importance of firearm safety.
• Identify ways parents and adults can keep
  children safe from firearms.
• Identify what a child can do if they see a gun,
  and be able to teach these steps to a child.

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Firearm Use

• Mishandling or playing with guns can lead to
  tragedy. With appropriate care, maintenance and
  securing of firearms, deaths due to accidental
  firearm injuries should never occur.

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Statistics

• In the United States, about 100 children (through
  17 years of age) die each year from unintentional
  shootings. Almost five times as many are
  wounded.
• Boys are far more likely to be victims of
  unintentional firearm deaths than girls.
• In the United States, 70 of the unintentional
  firearm shootings involved handguns.

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• Most unintentional childhood shooting deaths
  involve guns kept in the home that have been left
  loaded and accessible to children.
• Unintentional shootings among children most often
  occur when children are unsupervised and out of
  school.
• Children as young as 3-years old are strong
  enough to pull the trigger of many handguns
  available in the United States.

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• Nearly two-thirds of parents with school-age
  children, who have guns in their home, believe
  that the firearm is safe from their children.
  One study found that when a gun was in the home,
  75-80 of first and second graders knew where the
  gun was kept.

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Missouri Child Firearm Deaths

• In 2008, seven Missouri children died as a result
  of unintentional firearm injuries.
• Of the seven unintentional firearm deaths
  reviewed by Child Fatality Review Program Panels
  in 2008, four involved a gun that was owned by a
  family member.
• All seven of the Missouri children who died as a
  result of unintentional firearm injury in 2008,
  were killed with a gun that was accessible to
  children or not locked or securely stored.

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• In 2008, five of the seven child victims of
  unintentional shootings were male and two were
  female.
• In 2008, six of the seven unintentional firearm
  deaths among children involved handguns. One
  involved a shotgun.

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• Two boys had been shooting at groundhogs. A
  12-year old left the loaded gun on his bed, while
  his friend was jumping on the bed. The gun went
  off, striking the 12-year old, who suffered
  massive internal injuries.
• While preparing for a hunting trip, a father left
  a handgun on a kitchen counter where he believed
  it would not be accessible. A 2-year old climbed
  on a chair, got the gun and shot himself while
  playing.

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• Two boys were pretending to shoot at each other,
  when one shot the other in the temple with a .38
  caliber derringer.

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What Can Parents Do To Keep Their Kids Safe?

• Parents who own guns should always store firearms
  unloaded and locked up. Ammunition should be
  locked in a separate location, out of the
  childrens reach. Gun locks, load indicators and
  other safety devices should be used on all
  firearms.

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Keep Children Safe

• Parents should teach their children the
  difference between a toy gun and real gun.
• When children see someone on television being
  killed, they need to be taught the difference
  between a television death and a real life
  death.
• (National Rifle Association)
• Safety lessons that explain the rules for gun
  safety should be done openly with time for the
  child to ask questions.

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• If your child is 11-years old or older, and
  expresses an interest in hunting, enroll them in
  a Hunter Education Safety Course. Missouri
  mandates Hunter Education Programs for anyone
  born on or after January 1, 1967. Hunter
  Education Programs teach participants how to
  handle firearms safely at home and while hunting.
  For more information, access the Missouri
  Department of Conservations website at
  http//mdc.mo.gov/hunt/heclass-search.html

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Ten Commandments of Gun Safety

• Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe
  direction.
• Guns should be unloaded when not actually in use.
  
• Don't rely on the gun's "safety". Treat every
  gun as if it can fire at any time.
• Be sure of the target and what's beyond it.
• Use correct ammunition.

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• If the gun fails to fire when the trigger is
  pulled, HANDLE WITH CARE.
• Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
  
• Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions
  before shooting.
• Don't alter or modify the gun. Do have the gun
  serviced regularly.

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• Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics
  of the firearm used. Do not use any firearm that
  you have not had adult instruction in handling.
• (Missouri Department of Conservation)

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If Children See A Gun

• Stop!
• Dont touch the gun.
• Leave the area where the gun is located.
• Go tell an adult about the gun.
• (National Rifle Association, Eddie Eagle Program)

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For More Information

• National Rifle Association, Gun Safety Rules
  http//www.nrahq.org/education/guide.asp
• National Rifle Association, Eddie Eagle Gun
  Safety Program http//www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/
  index.asp
• Kids Health, Gun Safety http//kidshealth.org/ki
  d/watch/house/gun_safety.html
• Project Child Safe http//www.projectchildsafe.or
  g/

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Missouri Department of Social Services State
Technical Assistance Team

• Address
• PO Box 208Jefferson City, MO 65102-0208
• Telephone [phone](800) 487-1626(8 a.m.
  to 5 p.m. CST, Monday Friday)
• Email
•  dls.stat_at_dss.mo.gov