Home Safety and Firearms

In this day and age we hear opinions from both ends of the spectrum regarding firearms in the home. I have recently had discussions with citizens who believe it is their right to have them and also talked to those who feel all firearms should be abolished. Most often, people are somewhere in the middle. Part of my job is to make gun ownership safer for everyone, regardless of personal beliefs.

I would like to offer several safety tips and suggestions for those who have firearms in their homes and those who don't. With care and common sense we can keep ourselves, and especially our children, safer. To go out on a limb, all firearms accidents are avoidable. A fully loaded firearm will never go off by itself. You must have three things to cause a firearm to discharge: gun, ammunition and a shooter.

Tips for those who have firearms:

• Keep firearms and ammunition out of the reach of children! Remember that children are very curious and very ingenious. They know how to open drawers, climb clothes (or whatever) to get to the top of the closet, and reach under mattresses.
• If possible, keep firearms locked up or have gun safety locks for them. Do not leave the key in the lock. Depending on the type of lock, you can leave it loaded and still be safe. Buy a quality lock. (We will give you a couple; see the last part of the article)
• Keep ammunition in a separate place, away from the firearms.
• Educate your children about the proper use of firearms and what to do when they find one. There are several programs, most notably the Eddie Eagle program from the NRA, which teach them not to touch guns and to find an adult to tell should they find one. (I have a supply of these materials if you need some.)
• Do not assume that all children have been taught to leave firearms alone. Friends and relatives who don't have firearms in their homes may not have felt it important to educate their children on this topic. Yes, it is your responsibility to keep them safe, not simply their fault for not knowing.
• When handling your firearms, always keep them pointed in a safe direction. A safe direction is defined as one where no one will get hurt if it does go off. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Do not load the weapon until you are ready to shoot. Even officers (none from this agency of course) have killed the T.V. or shot the wall while dry-firing an "empty" weapon.
• Never handle firearms while you have been drinking or taking medication. Even many over the counter medications can cause some kind of impairment and can affect your judgment and coordination. If you are on a prescription medication of any kind, ask your physician if they feel it is safe for you to handle firearms before you plan to do so.

Tips for those who do not have firearms:

• Teach children to leave them alone. Even if you try to completely shelter them from firearms, they will still find out what they are and be curious about them. My sister will personally attest to this. Children "play" guns, no matter how they are raised.
• When you go to the home of friends, ask them if they have guns in the house. If they do, have them tell you what safety measures they have taken. If they take offense to your questions, they are not really your friends and don't have your or your children's best interests at heart.
• Learn enough about firearms to make one safe in the event you run across one or a child tells you about one they have found. If all else fails, keep guard over the firearm until law enforcement arrives to take possession of it. The gun will not go off unless it is mishandled.
• If you have friends and relatives who do not keep their firearms stored safely, you now have ideas for Christmas and birthday presents.

In cooperation with the National Shooting Foundation, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office is once again providing free gun locks to the citizens of Boulder County. Since supplies are limited, there is a limit of two locks per household. They are available at the Boulder County Justice Center (second floor Records window), the Niwot Substation, the Superior Substation and the Lyons Town Hall. The hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. All you need to do is go in and ask for one or two depending on your needs.

Please remember that firearm safety is everyone's responsibility. If you have any questions about firearm safety, please feel free to call me. I can also help with questions regarding what to do with unwanted firearms, old ammunition, and the like, as well as questions on buying and selling firearms.
For more information about Firearm Safety, please call Commander Joe Gang, (303) 441 - 3633 at the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

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