Firearm safety is a set of rules and practices designed to prevent accidental death, injury, or damage when handling, storing, or transporting firearms.
Treat any firearm as if it were loaded.
Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Never at anything you don't want to ruin.
Do not put your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
Be aware of your target and what is around it. The target may not stop the bullet. Be aware of anything that is behind it.
If you or someone you know owns a firearm, safe storage is the first step to keeping it out of the wrong hands. Some solutions for safe storage are gun safes, lockers, hidden and locked spaces, trigger locks, etc.
About 47,000 of the deaths in the US in 2023 were firearm related. For perspective, about 3,010,000 people in total died that same year. That means that about 1 in 62 deaths were because of a firearm. In 2024, about 1 in 70 people died because of a firearm. By keeping your firearm locked away, you can prevent it from getting into the wrong hands which helps prevent this alarmingly large number of deaths.
1) Take a class on how to store your firearm safely and follow those instructions (these classes usually happen at your local police station)
2) Teach anyone else living with you or stay with you for any amount of time the 4 rules of firearm safety
3) Don't keep your firearm loaded
4) Inform any adults staying in your home of your firearm (especially if they brought kids so they can keep an eye on them)
5) Tell people about this website!
This website was created because we would like to bring awareness to the countless tragedies that happen because a firearm wasn't stored safely. Our goal is to teach the owners of firearms how to store them safely so that we can minimize the number of these deaths. If you own a firearm please try to practice the rules above, or if you know someone that owns a firearm please share this with them because this is a lifesaving responsibility.
Please remember: We are 8th grade students trying to make a change. It doesn't matter who you are or how old you are. You can help us make a difference.