FIREARM SAFETY AND STORAGE

Every time you pick up a firearm, you pick up a responsibility. Safe storage of any firearm is the owner’s responsibility or the responsibility of the person handling the firearm. Firearm safety begins with understanding and carefully following the rules of safe firearm handling. Following these rules will help to ensure that you have a safe firearm:

• Besure you know how the firearm operates.
• Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, even when the firearm is unloaded
• Never assume that a firearm is unloaded. Always check the firearm, and as a good rule, have someone else check the firearm as well.
• Always keep your finger off the trigger, even when the firearm is unloaded.
• Never point a firearm at a person.
• When shooting, make sure that nothing is located behind your intended target.
  

To properly store your firearm in your residence, follow these steps:

• Unload all firearms before taking them into the home.
• Securely store long arms, such as rifles and shotguns, in racks or cabinets, preferably locked. Handguns should be stored in a locked cabinet or drawer.
• Keep all ammunition under lock and in a location separate from firearms for complete safety.

When handling firearms, always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Firearms are not toys and they must be handled with respect. Remember, nearly all firearm accidents in the home can be prevented by simply making sure that guns are kept unloaded and locked up, with ammunition secured in a separate location. Common ways to secure your firearms in your residence include using trigger locks, cable locks, mechanical and electronic lock boxes, gun safes and by disassembling the firearms.

Even though we practice safe firearms handling and storage, it is our responsibility as firearm owners to educate everyone in our residences. As firearms owners we have an obligation to educate our loved ones. Please take the time to practice safe handling and storage of your firearms.