Locked and unloaded: Local firearm safety tips for Idaho families
Maile Sipraseuth
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Firearms continue to rank as the leading cause of death for children nationwide. In Idaho — a state where hunting and sport shooting are a major part of life for many families — local firearm experts are emphasizing that simple steps at home can prevent life-altering tragedies.
According to Kwaid Garrett, the shop manager at Guns and Gear in Idaho Falls, responsible gun ownership starts with properly storing guns unloaded, locked away, and out of children’s reach.
“It’s very, very important that as an adult you need to do your part, go to training classes, and actively participate in how to use your firearm properly,” said Garrett. “In turn, it’s going to be a safer community. You’re going to be more knowledgeable. You’re going to have the ability to relay better information to your kids and to family members that might be running into situations where their kids are curious about firearms.”
Key storage tips
Garrett recommends using a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or biometric safe to secure your firearms, as it’s an efficient way to practice securing your firearms correctly while having quick access to protection.
“They’re opening faster. They’re giving you access to the firearms faster, while also maintaining a level of security that makes it a lot trickier for children and for burglars and anybody that is trying to rob you, it makes it a little bit easier for you to get access to it and harder for them,” Garrett said.
Here are some tips to storing firearms:
Unloaded: Always make sure a firearm is unloaded, with no ammunition in the chamber or magazine, before placing it in storage.
Locked away: secure guns in gun safes with ammunition in a separate, locked container and out of reach.
Use combination locks and safes or safes that use biometric security, such as fingerprint locks.
Talking to your kids about guns
According to Safekids.org, talking to your children and their caregivers is another important step into keeping your kids safe from gun accidents.
“It’s crucially important because children are exceptionally curious and, with a lack of education on how to be safe and how to store firearms properly. Kids, just with their curiosity, want to get into things and they want to explore,” Garrett said.
Teach children that firearms shown on television or in video games are very different from real guns and can cause serious harm.
Communicate to babysitters, grandparents, and caretakers about gun storage and guns in the home.