Child Gun Safety | Christensen & Hymas

In November of 2014, tragedy hit Kaysville, Utah. One Sunday morning, a 12 year-old girl was accidentally shot and killed by a younger sibling in their home. While friends and family mourned, the Davis County Health Department sent out a tweet commenting on the need for child gun safety and awareness:

“We urge all families to lock up firearms and discuss gun safety with children.”

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Child Gun Safety and How to Teach It

These are just some of the ways to help keep your kids safe around guns:

At Home or Outside

Make it impossible for a child to access and use a gun in your home.
Keep it unloaded with the safety on and locked in a safe or case. Store ammunition separately.
Teach children about the damage a gun can do.

At School

Unfortunately, the prevalence of gun violence today makes it important to teach your child about what to do in a school shooting:
- If they can get out safely, they should run.
- If they can’t get out safely or don’t know where the shooter is, they should hide. Turn off lights and anything making noise, and lock any doors.

Child Gun Safety in Schools

Children need to be educated about gun safety, whether their families own firearms or not. Utah Senator Todd Weiler has proposed teaching gun safety in Utah’s public schools:

The program will teach students about gun safety and what do to if they encounter a gun or a shooter.
There will be no guns in the classroom.
Parents will have to give their child permission to participate.

Most schools across the country already have educational programs about drugs, suicide, bullying, and other personal safety issues. With gun violence on the rise, it may be time to add child gun safety to that list.

“Even if someone doesn’t have a gun in their home, odds are very likely that a neighbor or a friend’s parents do.” – Todd Weiler

You can never be too safe when it comes to teaching your child gun safety. Education and awareness are some of the best forms of prevention. If you have questions about gun safety or laws, contact us today.