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Michigan Gun Owners
Safe Storage Guidelines
Each year we hear about
children and adults who are injured or killed in gun related accidents. In 2002
alone, 254 children between the ages of 1 and 14 died in homicides involving
firearms. 86 children in the same age group committed suicide using a firearm,
and 59 died as a result of firearm related accidents. Many if not all of these
deaths could have been prevented by simply making sure firearms were secured
safely. It is the responsibility of the firearms owner to know how to safely
handle and secure their firearms.
Most states impose some
form of legal duty on adults to take reasonable steps to deny access by children
to dangerous substances or instruments. It is the individual gun owner's responsibility
to understand and follow all laws regarding gun purchase, ownership, storage,
and transport. If you choose to own a gun, you have a responsibility to set
a positive example.
Basic Gun Safety
Rules
- Always keep the firearm
pointed in a safe direction.
- Always keep your finger
off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Always keep the gun
unloaded until ready to use.
As a firearm owner, you
must make absolutely sure that guns in your home are stored so that they are
not accessible to children or other unauthorized persons. Hiding a gun in a
closet, drawer or similar location is not safe storage. Children are extremely
curious and might find a gun in your home that you thought was safely hidden
or inaccessible.
As with most all areas of
home safety, your objective as a firearm owner is to put in place a series of
simple precautions or multiple safeguards that together help create a secure
environment for firearms in the home. Each of these precautions is designed
to provide an additional barrier against unauthorized use.
Storing Firearms
in a Safe Manner
- Store guns and ammunition
so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
- Unloaded firearms should
be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case. Be sure to
place a locked storage case in a location inaccessible to children.
- Unloaded firearms can
also be secured with a gun locking device that renders the firearm inoperable.
- Store ammunition in
a locked location separate from firearms.
Remember, nearly all firearms
accidents in the home can be prevented simply by making sure that guns are kept
unloaded and locked up with ammunition secured in a separate location.
Firearms Safety
Rules For Kids
- Don't Touch!
- Leave the Area
- Tell an Adult
Remember, if you find a
gun, don't pick it up.
Just leave it alone and
tell an adult right away.
It is our hope at Michigan
Gun Owners that you will gain a better understanding of how to safely handle
and store your firearms. There are a variety of locking devices available for
your firearm, in various sizes and price ranges. If you have any questions about
any of the devices, or which method of safe storage would be most appropriate
for your individual situation, please feel free to talk to one of us at Michigan
Gun Owners. If you would like to plan a free safe storage presentation for your
group, we would be happy to set that up. You can contact us through our website,
by mail at Michigan Gun Owners P.O. Box 153, Dearborn Heights, MI 48127, or
e-mail at safestorage@migunowners.org .
Legal disclaimer:
The above methods and recommendations are not intended as a complete course
in gun safety and is not a substitute for formal, qualified instruction in the
handling, use, or storage of firearms. The guidelines herein should be considered
options to minimize the chance of an accident occurring in the home.
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