June is National Safety Month and a good time to review how you’re storing firearms in your home and vehicles.

The last thing any gun owner wants is for their firearms to fall into the hands of an unsupervised child, a thief or someone going through a difficult period in their life.

That’s why we urge individuals to store firearms responsibly when they’re not in use; it’s the number one way to help prevent accidents, thefts and misuse – including suicides. The vast majority of gun owners are safe and responsible, which is why fatal firearms accidents are at historic lows. We’re proud that our safety programs, including Project ChildSafe® have contributed to that decline.

As the leader in genuine firearms safety education, we provide gun safety resources for all ages through our award-winning Project ChildSafe program and our new suicide prevention program. We remind gun owners there’s a storage option that will fit into their lifestyle, such as a fast-opening lock box for those who keep a firearm for home security.

Further, Project ChildSafe’s library of educational videos help parents have “the talk” with their children about gun safety. And with the help of our favorite dog, McGruff, we teach children what to do if they should see an unattended firearm.

There are many more resources and tips about gun safety available at ProjectChildSafe.org where you can also find information on where to get a free gun lock.

Enjoy the shooting sports this summer, consider introducing a newcomer to these safe, fun activities, and please join me in practicing responsible gun ownership every day.