September 2021
With hunting season upon us, the Trauma Team at Sheridan Memorial Hospital provides these tips for Gun Safety.
- Treat every gun as if it is loaded!
- ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction!
- ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger and keep the safety on until ready to shoot.
- Know your target and what is beyond – Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.
- Know how to use the gun safely – Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a gun’s mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.
- Use only the correct ammunition for your gun and wear ear and eye protection as appropriate.
- Never use alcohol, over the counter drugs, or prescription drugs before or while shooting.
- Keep guns out of the reach and out of sight of children by storing them securely. Leaving guns unsecured – on a nightstand, table, or other place where a child can gain access – can lead to injuries and fatalities.
- Store guns unloaded and secured with effective, child-resistant gun locks in a locked container out of the reach and sight of children.
- Store ammunition in a separate locked container out of the reach and sight of children.
- Use combination locks and safes, or safes that use fingerprint recognition locks. Keep the combinations carefully hidden.
- When a gun is not being stored, keep it in your immediate possession and control at all times. Otherwise, store the gun unloaded, locked and separate from ammunition.
- If you carry a gun in your car, make sure to outfit your vehicle with a lockable container so you can securely store the gun when you exit the vehicle.
- If a visitor has a gun in a backpack, briefcase, handbag or an unlocked car, provide them with a place to store it securely (locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition) while they are in your home.
- If a family member or loved one is in crisis and may be a risk to themselves or others, consider temporarily removing firearms from your home. Such crises can involve people who are depressed, suicidal, or abusing drugs or alcohol.
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