| ew of the risks involved with handling firearms | | | | there are currently gun safety programs set up to |
| besides the fact that more and more guns are | | | | teach both parents and children the significance of |
| making their way into the wrong hands, gun safety is | | | | gun safety. Of which one of the gun safety |
| especially important to teach to children. Just incase a | | | | programs called the Eddie Eagle program from the |
| gun is in a home for personal protection it should be | | | | National Rifle Association (NRA). This safety program |
| stored properly and out of the reach of children. In | | | | tells children step by step how to deal with a gun if |
| fact deaths from firearms are the primary cause of | | | | they come across one, the steps are, Stop! |
| death in children as the majority of the incidents that | | | | Don’t Touch, Leave the Area, and Tell an |
| cause injury are not intentional. Therefore teaching | | | | Adult. This simple basic method is one that should be |
| children about gun safety is extremely essential. | | | | taught every child as all three steps are important |
| Each year there are a large number of children that | | | | aspects in gun safety. There is a program called |
| are injured by guns. Although most injuries by | | | | “Keep Your Family Safe from Firearm |
| firearms occur in children of the adolescent age many | | | | Injury” that is sponsored by the American |
| young children and infants are affected as well. At | | | | Academy of Pediatrics. According to this gun safety |
| times if a young child sees a gun, any may not be | | | | program that has been designed for parents - it |
| aware that it’s something that is dangerous | | | | stresses that the best gun safety measure is to |
| and not meant to be touched, they may play with it. | | | | possess a firearm in the house. |
| This takes place time and again in the home and | | | | One must remember that safe storage of a gun |
| certainly needs to be addressed by teaching gun | | | | should be a priority if choosing to have a gun in the |
| safety to children early on. | | | | home. A safe or even a locked drawer should be |
| It is estimated that in the United States, there are | | | | used and anything without a lock on it is clearly |
| firearms in almost 50% of the homes. In spite of the | | | | unsafe. Kids are inquisitive and will look in places all |
| fact that this estimate is inflated it still means there | | | | over the house. If a lock is in place it takes away the |
| are many homes do have guns which in turn makes | | | | chance that the child will be able to find the firearm. |
| gun safety extremely important. Predominately the | | | | It is not only your responsibility to keep your children |
| firearms are for reasons of safety and protection | | | | safe and sound but it needs to be your priority. |
| but it is more likely that you will injure or kill a family | | | | Hence to be more informed about how to keep your |
| member or friend than an intruder in the home. | | | | gun stored far away from little children is plainly |
| Taking into consideration that there have been a | | | | crucial. |
| number of injuries and death from guns in the home | | | | |