Posted by Communications staff on 10/27/2022 8:30:00 AM
Last night, the SPS Board of Directors unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2022-13 to inform district families and the wider community about the importance of secure firearm storage. Safe firearm storage can save lives and ensure children remain happy and healthy at school.
Securely storing firearms can reduce the risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens by up to 85%, according to research. Unsecured firearms also contribute to deaths by suicide. Nearly 700 children in the U.S. die by gun suicide each year. The Pacific Northwest Suicide Prevention Resources Center found that more than half of adolescent firearm suicides in Washington were carried out using a gun from the home.
Jeremy Ball, president and owner of Sharp Shooting Indoor Range and Gun Shop, is a vocal proponent of safe firearm storage.
“First and foremost, a firearm owner must assess their living situation and determine what sorts of storage requirements are necessary for them and when those storge requirements are needed,” he said. “Since I have two young boys and regularly have nieces, nephews and other little kids around our home, storage is a top priority. I store firearms in various methods by using a safe, lock boxes, and cable locks. All of these are sufficient methods for the firearm I am securing.”
Ball stresses that firearms should be stored unloaded.
Families without a way to securely store firearms can contact the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department, which offers free locks. Every firearm purchased in Washington through a firearms dealer also comes with a cable lock.
Families with firearms they want to dispose of can also contact the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department, which will send someone to retrieve the weapon for safe and proper disposal.
“Secure firearm storage is an essential part of home safety,” said Petra Hoy, a gun owner and volunteer with Washington Moms Demand Action. “With more guns in more homes due to an unprecedented surge in gun sales over the past two years, it’s more important than ever for parents and caregivers to know how secure storage protects children.”
Educating children about firearm safety and the associated rise of injury is necessary for everyone, whether families own firearms or not. Hoy suggests teaching children that if they find an unsecured firearm, they should leave it alone and tell an adult right away.
If you’re concerned about your child visiting friends at homes with firearms, have a civil discussion with the homeowner to ensure the kids’ safety. Research shows that most unintentional firearm-related deaths among children occur in or around the home - 50% at the home of the victim and 40% at the home of a friend or a relative.
“As a dad and gun owner, I can think of nothing worse and cannot imagine the guilt I would feel if one of my boys became one of these statistics,” Ball said. “Safe storage of firearms is the responsibility of every gun owner to do their part in keeping their own children and the rest of our kids safe of accessing firearms without supervision.”
Resources:
- Be SMART Graphics
- Keeping Your Home Safe with Secure Storage
- Talking to Your Children About Guns (Spanish Version)
- Be SMART (Spanish Version)
- Be SMART Secure Storage Fact Sheet
- Asking About Secure Gun Storage
- Facts and Resources on Child Firearm Suicide
- Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices
- School Safety and Secure Firearm Storage
