The Northwest Pennsylvania (NW PA) Veteran Suicide Prevention Program operates on a three-pronged approach involving healthcare providers, community organizations, and Veterans and their families in the 15 counties of NW PA. As June is National Safety Month we wanted to share this information from our advisory group partner, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), about Gun Storage Check Week. The goal of the NSSF campaign is to encourage gun owners and their families to take a moment to check on their gun storage practices and improve them, if necessary, to prevent unwanted access.
If you have any questions or would like to speak with someone about publicizing the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program in your community, please reach out to us.
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Make Sure It’s Secure
Gun Storage Check Week is June 1 -7 and during this time, NSSF®—The Firearm Industry Trade Association, is encouraging all gun owners to check their firearm storage practices and, if necessary, take action to MAKE SURE IT’S SECURE.
Securely storing firearms is one of the most effective methods of helping to reduce suicide, accidents and theft.
Periodically, all gun owners should review their firearm storage practices because people’s lives change—a child grows older and becomes more curious, a teenager or adult happens to be going through a rough patch in life. These and other situations might require a change in storage habits or devices. When circumstances warrant it, temporary offsite storage can be a solution, but remember to follow applicable firearm transfer laws.
As a gun owner, you can choose from multiple options for safely storing and protecting your firearms when they’re not in use. Visit GunStorageCheck.org to learn about options available to firearms owners. For the greatest level of security, consider using a combination of safety mechanisms and educate family members about the core rules of gun safety and handling firearms properly.
In addition, the website has promotional tools, such as shareable graphics, and there is an opportunity to win one of 25 free lock boxes. A person gains extra entries to the sweepstakes by watching a video about gun safety rules/secure storage options. Gun Storage Check Week provides an opportunity to any group or individual concerned about secure storage to push out their message and link to their own safety resources or NSSF’s.
Looking to Get Involved?
Whether you identify as a healthcare provider, community organization, or Veteran, there are several opportunities through the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program and PERU to connect to resources, participate in educational training, and promote harm reduction strategies. We are actively recruiting healthcare and community partners to work with us in meeting our goals and objectives. To learn more, visit the program website at theresilientveteran.org.
Need Help? Know Someone Who Does? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat. Both are free and confidential. You’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor in your area.
