Personal Firearm
Safety in the Home__________________
Training Program
Presentation

Thank you for serving our Nation.
Our purpose is to:• Discuss military family safety• Promote family safety by reducing risks• Address risks relating to personally owned firearms• Create a military family safety plan and pledge

Safety Risks and Military Families

Public Health and Safety

How did we make this happen?
Source:/www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4818a1.htm#fig1

Public Health and Safety
Did you know?
…the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
estimates that seat belts have saved the lives of morethan 280,000 children and adults since 1975.
Since 1975, 9600 children have lived because of safety
seats or seat belts.

Traffic Safety Facts Overview, June 2012
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811630.pdf

Public Health and Safety• Public health interventions significantly reduced motor
vehicle associated deaths and injuries• Public Health interventions include:— Product (antilock breaks, airbags, guardrails)— Person (driver’s safety education, DUI campaigns)— Practice (vehicle inspections, speed limits)

Public Health and Safety
Public Health safety planning steps— Identify Hazards — that may be harmful— Assess Risk — considering unique circumstances— Take Action — implement change to reduce risk
ProductPersonPracticePublic Health and Safety
Safety Practices — continually assess risk assituation changes:

Safety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• Exposed electrical outlets• New toddler in the house
Assess Risk
• How likely is it a curious child will getshocked?
Take Action• Safety covers on exposed outletsSafety Risks and Military Families
Common Family Safety Practices
••••
••
•

Drugs and poisons out of reach of children
Electrical outlets covered
Neighborhood watch
Meet children's friends
Meet children's friend’s parents in their home
Safe driving
Model safe alcohol use

Safety Risks and Military Families
Common challenges of military service members and family:• Frequent moves and separation from extended family• Decreased community connections• Single spouse caring for home during deployments

Do you have additional deployment related factors that
increase your safety risk and require a plan?

Safety Risks and Military Families— David is a 27 year old, active duty E-5.
He is married with two children ages 3 and 1.
He just got orders to deploy overseas for
12 months— His wife has noticed that David is up a lot
at night. He says he doesn’t feel like going into work most days. He has become forgetfuland snaps at the children more.

Safety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• Service member with family and stressabout deployment
Assess Risk
• Is this David’s typical response to stress?
• Are there other factors in play?
Take Action• Based on circumstance, and your current
assessment of risk, what actions do you take?

Safety Risks and Military Families— David’s friends and family have noticed
that he is drinking alcohol every day which ismore than usual.
— One night, during an argument, Davidpunches a wall and leaves the houseSafety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• David is drinking more and is becoming
more angry
Assess Risk
• Is David becoming depressed?
• Is there a risk of family violence?
Take Action• Based on this circumstance, what would you do?

Safety Risks and Military Families— David gets home from work late and getsannoyed with his son, Peter. Peter wants toshare what he learned in school today but his
dad just wants to be alone. After telling Peterto be quiet for the last time he strikes the 3year old and yells, “I can’t take this anymore!”— David storms out of house and drives
away abruptlySafety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• Possible suicide statement.
• Possible family violence
Assess Risk
• Is David safe?
• Is his family safe?
Take Action• Based on circumstance, and your current
assessment of risk, what actions do you take now?

What if David Kept a Gun in His Home?

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports— 24 March 2011: Josh Lipstein called his father, Don. Dad could
tell that something was wrong. He asked his son to unload his gun.
‘Dad,’ he replied, ‘I can’t do that.’ Josh said goodbye. A few
moments later the 23- year-old veteran shot himself.
— Don knew Josh was depressed and addicted to pain killers

The New York Times, May 2011

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports— 24 March 2011: Josh Lipstein called his father, Don. Dad could
tell that something was wrong. He asked his son to unload hisgun. ‘Dad,’ he replied, ‘I can’t do that.’ Josh said goodbye. A few
moments later the 23- year-old veteran shot himself.
— Don knew Josh was depressed and addicted to pain killers

What would you do?

Safety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• Josh kept a loaded firearm• Experiencing depression• Addicted to painkillers
Assess Risk
• Was Josh safe?
Take Action• Based on your current assessment of risk
what actions could you take?

Safety Risks and Military Families
Did you know…?
1. Approximately 30.000 people die from firearms eachyear• 2/3rds of those deaths are suicides
2. Access to firearms increases risk for death by suicide
AND homicide
3. Half of all military suicides were by non-issue firearms(5x more than military weapons)National Center for Health, 2010
Annals of Internal Medicine, Anglemyer, 2014
DoDSER 2011

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports• 12 August 2013: “…a child reportedly shot himself in the foot with aBB gun…. Police…determined it was an accident, according to reports.”• 12 August 2013: “…police were called to…Hospital after a child who had
been shot with a pellet gun checked into the emergency room.
Reports…determined that the child’s siblings caused the injuries
accidentally while playing.”
Delaware News, ThisWeek Community News

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports• 12 August 2013: “…a child reportedly shot himself in the foot with aBB gun…. Police…determined it was an accident, according to reports.”• 12 August 2013: “…police were called to…Hospital after a child who had
been shot with a pellet gun checked into the emergency room.
Reports…determined that the child’s siblings caused the injuries
accidentally while playing.”
What would you do?
Delaware News, ThisWeek Community News

Safety Risks and Military Families
Identify Hazards• Children living in home• Accessible pellet guns
Assess Risk• Is this an unsafe situation?
Take Action• Based on circumstance, and your current
assessment of risk, what actions do you take?

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports• 17 July 2013: “…a 9-year-old is dead after he is accidentally
shot by a 10-year-old….Police say the family was in the dining
room when the accident happened in grandparent’s
bedroom.”• Danville, VA (6 Aug 2013): “...a 6-year-old child picked up a gun
and accidentally shot one-year-old cousin”“Gun Salesman Talks Safety After Child Accidentally Shot,” WJTV.com,“Danville Sheriff's Office Giving Away Gun Locks After Accident,” WSET-TV,

Firearm Safety in Your Home
From recent news reports• 17 July 2013: “…a 9-year-old is dead after he is accidentally
shot by a 10-year-old….Police say the family was in the dining
room when the accident happened in grandparent’sbedroom.”• Danville, VA (6 Aug 2013): “...a 6-year-old child picked up agun and accidentally shot one-year-old cousin”“Gun Salesman Talks Safety After Child Accidentally Shot,” WJTV.com,“Danville Sheriff's Office Giving Away Gun Locks After Accident,” WSET-TV,

Safety Risks and Military Families
Did you know…?
1. For the majority of households, the factor that
may have the most impact on a child’s risk offirearm injury is whether the child’s parents
own a firearm.
2. Half of all unintentional shooting deaths
among children occur at home, and almost half
occur in the home of a friend or relative.
3. Nearly 1,500 children younger than 18 years ofage die from shootings every year.
http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/cirp-gun-safety

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Let’s take a short quiz:— Keeping guns clean and in working order, and/ordisposing (or disabling) firearms once they are no longer
serviceable, can promote firearm safety in the home?
True or False?

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Let’s take a short quiz:— Keeping guns clean and in working order, and/ordisposing (or disabling) firearms once they are no longer
serviceable, can promote firearm safety in the home?
True or False?

Firearm Safety in Your HomeQuiz:
— Untrained individuals should not have access toguns and ammunition.
True or False?

Firearm Safety in Your HomeQuiz:
— Untrained individuals should not have access toguns and ammunition.
True or False?

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Quiz:
— What percentage of children (1st and 2nd graders) know
where a gun is stored in the home?
a.
b.
c.
d.

5%
20%50%75%

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Quiz:
— What percentage of children (1st and 2nd graders) know
where a gun is stored in the home?
a.
b.
c.
d.

5%
20%
50%
75%
Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 1994

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Quiz:
— 21% percent of gun owners in a recent study reported
storing their gun loaded. What percentage of theirspouses reported the same thing?
a.
b.
c.
d.

2%
7%
21%
30%

Firearm Safety in Your Home
Quiz:
— 21% percent of gun owners in a recent study reported
storing their gun loaded. What percentage of theirspouses reported the same thing?
a.
b.
c.
d.

2%
7%
21%
30%
The Official Journal or American Pediatrics, 2000

Firearm Safety in Your HomeQuiz:
— If firearms and ammunition are stored in a homewhere untrained persons live (or visit), they should be
stored separately, in locked firearm cabinets, to minimize
risk of unintended access
True or False?

Firearm Safety in Your HomeQuiz:
— If firearms and ammunition are stored in a homewhere untrained persons live or visit, they should be
stored separately, in locked firearm cabinets, to minimize
risk of unintended access
True or False?

JAMA, 2005,

What Can You Do to Protect Your Family?

Disclaimers•

Political, legal, and medical experts have differing views regarding firearms in
the home and optimal methods to protect family safety.

•There are safety risks associated both with maintaining and not maintaining apersonal firearm in your home.

•If you choose to maintain a personal firearm in your home, then it is yourresponsibility to follow applicable laws and follow proper safety precautions.

•Partially implemented safety measures such as applying trigger locks without
a comprehensive safety plan can increase risk to your family.

•On the issue of mental health and firearms, 14 medical societies agree on theneed for increased public education, increased research, better accessprevention, and clinical counseling when needed.

Public Health and Family Safety• Do you remember the primary intervention areas?
— Product— Person— Practice• Let’s apply individual safety practices to these primaryintervention areas!

Public Health and Family Safety
Product• Properly service your firearms• Dispose or disable firearms when they are no longer serviceable• Apply properly fitted trigger/cable locks to properly stored
unloaded weapons

Public Health and Firearm Safety
Person• Weapon safety courses• Appropriate gun safety program for children• Increased risk  alternate storage plan
• If physical illness or mental illness make it less safe tokeep a gun at home, then have an alternate storage plan
• If conflict or substance abuse make it less safe to keep
a gun at home, then have an alternate storage planPublic Health and Firearm SafetyPractice• Keep personal firearms in locked gun cabinet• Store ammunition separately• Gun communication with spouse, partner, roommate or friends• Gun communication with children

Firearm Safety Planning• While there are elements that are common to all Firearm
Safety Plans, these should be unique to your situation andregularly reviewed as firearm risks change• Please review the Firearm Safety Planning Guide included inyour handout and check off those elements you plan toimplement in your home• Firearm Safety Pledge!

DoD•••••••

Firearm Safety Planning

Military Crisis Line:• 1-800-273-8255, Press “1”Vets-4-Warriors…………………………………………….. http://vets4warriors.com• 24/7 peer support (855-838-8255)
Defense Suicide Prevention Office…………………… http://suicideoutreach.org/
Military One Source……………………………… http://www.militaryonesource.mil/
After Deployment…………………………………… http://www.afterdeployment.org
Guard & Reserve……… http://www.dcoe.mil/Families/Guard_and_Reserve.aspx
Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program........... http://www.yellowribbon.mil/

If you would like a complementary cable to help you get started on yourown Firearm Safety Plan, then please remain after the session.

Thank you.