Firearm safety

Firearm storage

Therefore, say the experts, the first rule of firearm safety is as simple as it is important: Know why you have a weapon in the house, and act accordingly -- and that means keeping the weapon secured where no one can get at it who isn't supposed to. After all, how often are you going to hunt deer or shoot targets in your home?

Once you answer that question, says Bob Hunt, the director of the Smith & Wesson Academy in Springfield, Mass., practicing firearm safety becomes second nature.

"What people forget in all of the rhetoric about firearms is that people do have guns in their homes, and if they do, safety is a necessary part of gun ownership," says Hunt, whose organization has been providing classes in firearms training for more than a century, to both civilians and law enforcement personnel. "People have to discover what their responsibilities are if they have a weapon in their home."

Education: how to use and NOT use guns

Those responsibilities begin with education. No one should have a rifle or pistol in the house unless they have been trained in how to use it -- and that includes training on how not to use it.

"Everyone always assumes that they know how to fire a gun," says Rick Janek, a senior corporal with the Dallas Police Department." But it's not as easy as it looks. And taking care of the gun so you will be able to fire it is something else people overlook."

The statistics bear Janek out. One study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that as many as 100,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms for non-fatal firearm-related injuries annually. The firearm death rate for U.S. children ages 14 and younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 12 times higher than the combined rate in 25 other industrialized countries.

The basics of firearm safety

Firearms education should include a number of basics:

Classes. Classes are not necessarily just for the person who will be firing the weapon. Says Hunt: "Bring your spouse in. Make sure he or she knows what you are doing. Make them a partner in safety and in keeping the gun secure in your household." Children should be taught the basics, especially if they are going to be around the weapon. They need to learn that guns are not toys, and that the damage they can cause is permanent. Many states and municipalities certify gun instructors. Your local police department may have a list. Know too that states with right-to-carry laws require a minimum number of hours of education before issuing a right-to-carry permit.

Storing your weapon. It doesn't matter whether you are a police officer or a civilian, says Janek, because the rules are the same. Keep your rifle or pistol where no one can get to it who isn't supposed to get to it. That means locking it up, and there are a number of ways to do that: Options include:

• A gun safe

• Keeping it in a locked attic or basement. It's also possible to keep it in a drawer or cabinet that can be locked.

• A trigger lock, which resembles the locks used on the dial on rotary telephones. If the weapon has a trigger lock, it can't be fired without first unlocking it.

• Locked trunk. If you have to transport the weapon, keep it in a locked trunk, and never leave it unattended or unlocked in your car.

And think long and hard about keeping a loaded weapon around the house. People are rarely hurt or killed by an "unloaded" firearm. If there is no ammunition in the gun's chamber, clip or magazine, the most that could happen by improperly handling a firearm is inadvertently dropping it on a toe. One Justice Department study found that for every 10 crimes committed with guns, only one is committed in self defense. If you must must keep a loaded gun in the house-- and there are arguments on both sides, say those who study the issue -- make sure small children can't get to the loaded weapon to play with it or fire it accidentally.

Ammunition. Practice as much care with your ammunition as you do with rifle or pistol. Keep bullets and magazines secured, following the same sort of procedure that you use for the weapons. Says Janek: "Keeping the ammunition locked up is another part of the safety equation

Three fundamental rules for ALL firearm use

Although the National Rifle Association has complete gun safety rules available for specific types of firearm use (hunting and competition, for example), the following three rules are fundamental in any situation. Whether or not you own a gun, it is important to know these rules so that you may insist that others follow them.

Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. This is the primary rule of gun safety. "Safe Direction" means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off, it would not cause an injury. Whether you are shooting or simply handling a gun, never point it at yourself or others. Common sense will tell you which direction is the safest. Outdoors, it is generally safe to point the gun toward the ground, or, if you are on a shooting range, toward the target. Indoors, be mindful of the fact that a bullet can penetrate ceilings, floors, walls, windows, and doors.

Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. When handling a gun, people have a natural tendency to put their finger on the trigger. Do not touch the trigger unless you are actually preparing to fire the gun.

Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. If you do not know how to check to see if a gun is unloaded, leave it alone. Carefully secure it, being certain to point it safely and to keep your finger off the trigger, and seek competent assistance.

"For some reason, gun education isn't seen as an important safety issue," says Hunt. "But if we have education for driving cars or for flying airplanes, why isn't education mandatory for the ownership of firearms?" There is a certain etiquette involved, and every gun owner should learn that etiquette." And that is a measure that could save thousands of lives each year.