The community-led effort focuses on “Aiming for Zero” firearm accidents and working to prevent firearm thefts and misuse.
WICHITA, Kan. – -(AmmoLand.com)- 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, fishing 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.
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.
IMOA the rules of handling a gun should cover guns that are left unattended at the ready for EDC and home defense. Take the mystery and paranoia that surrounds the gun and teach kids to respect it and what damage it can do. Dad taught us kids early what happens to grapefruit or watermelons when hit with a bullet when we went shooting. My Dad taught us children safe handling of unloaded guns and safe handling of loaded guns, he said there was no difference and both were to be treated the same. He would drive home that people in… Read more »
Safe storage is a personal safety strategy that must be studied and individually developed. I’m a 73 year old widow and I live two miles from my closest neighbor. I keep a .410 near the door for copperheads and a handgun next to my bed. When I have company or go away over night I “store” those in the gun safe.
Life in town was different…. fewer snakes of all kinds…two legged and four.
Personal safety strategies are developed by conscious awareness, not mandated by law.
More attempts to circumvent training/teaching of children by the use of technology. If a kid wants to bad enough, he or she will find a way, regardless of a safe or so-called safety device. A gun is a dangerous tool and if they are in your house, you need to educate/train your children using positive re-enforcement (rewards for good behavior) and negative re-enforcement (punishment, real punishment, not time out crap, for bad behavior). I know that’s politically incorrect, but it’s better than a dead child. My kids learned all about firearms before they started school and when they had friends… Read more »
How true about 40-50-60+70’s, most of us Dinosaurs were trained in the 4’s by the time we hit 1st grade as the Grandfather or father taught us by then. I did think of one thing all of the news media,refers to to all AR’s as assault rifles, why don’t all of the manufactures just start a campaign in advertising that instead of pushing Black Guns or AR’s just rename them as MODERN SPORTING RIFLES, that way the Press and Lib’s would really have to change their tune, and besides it might just confuse the heck out of them, something that… Read more »
How about just teaching gun safety and training to the young people. The Eddie Eagle program should be taught in all public and private schools in the country. If not that one, then teach your child about the dangers of the firearm. Son, or daughter, this item is not a toy. Education of our kids surely could go a long way. Ever wonder why this was not a problem back in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s?
Stop with the theater and teach the 4 rules.
The rules of handling a gun do not cover guns left unattended at the ready for EDC and home defense. True, they are considered in use, however, are not always in control by the owner and this is where we as gun owners seem to fail. I read all the time here and like forums how many idiots don’t think their gun is readily available if its in a safe. That’s just being foolish lazy. Plenty of one touch\bio safes available. My bedside safe is an older 4 button combo that I can access and be armed in as little… Read more »