Tips to Prevent the Misuse of Firearms (ARA) - In 2003, 2,849 children and teens were killed by gunfire in the United States, equating to one child every three hours, eight children everyday and more than 50 children every week. While safe storage laws have reduced unintentional firearm-related deaths among children, about 35 percent of homes in the U.S. have at least one firearm and more than 33 percent of firearms kept in the home are not stored safely. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) encourages those who choose to keep a firearm in the home to follow these tips to save lives and prevent harm to themselves and others: * Do not keep firearms in the home if a frequent guest or person living in the home has a history of depression or threatens suicide * Know that is your responsibility to keep your gun out of the hands of those who, deliberately or accidentally, may misuse it * Do not store your gun under a bed, mattress or in an unlocked drawer * Always store a gun unloaded. Keep bullets in a separate place from the gun. * Lock up firearms and bullets, being sure to hide keys or combination codes * Always treat a gun as if it were loaded * Teach children and teens not to touch any gun, to move/stay away from the location of a gun and to tell an adult immediately whenever they see a gun * Take a gun safety course and learn how to use your gun * Know your gun’s safety features and always use them ENA also encourages parents to determine if there are firearms in the homes of their children’s friends and if they are stored safely, as 40 percent of unintentional child shooting deaths occur at the home of a friend. Recently, ENA endorsed the Asking Saves Kids (ASK) campaign, with the goal of encouraging parents to ask if there are guns in the homes where their children play. More information about the ASK campaign is available at http://www.paxusa.org/ask/. For additional safety essentials for responsible firearm ownership or for more information on the ENA’s position on gun safety, visit www.ena.org. Courtesy of ARA Content

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