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FIREARM SAFETY
FOR KIDS

Earlier this week, a six-year-old was shot and killed by a little boy. In
the wake of the tragedy we would like to give some gun safety tips for kids.

Guns in your home.....

Around the world gun ownership is a hotly battled debate for adults. Laws in different countries, states and provinces do permit ownership of guns with varying restrictions. If you do have a gun in your home it is legal to do so if your parents follow the laws where you live.

You may have seen a gun in your home. Many kids learn about safe gun handling and storage at a young age. This is particularly the case in locations where hunting is a way of life, or in cases where a parent must carry a firearm in their line of work. The thing to remember here is that you may know how to safely handle the gun but your friends may not.

Don't be a show off and try to impress your friends by showing them the gun or where it is located. It could be the cause of their death or another friend's death if they go back and sneak the gun when you are busy elsewhere in the house.

However, kids must also remember guns should always be considered an extremely potential danger. They are not toys. A loaded gun can kill. Kids should never handle guns.

Gun safety - Protecting Yourself

Whether you are at home, at a friend's house, at school or on the street if you see a gun - steer clear of it.

If there is a gun in your home parents should follow these safety precautions:

	Guns should be unloaded and locked up.
	Bullets should be locked and stored in a separate location.
	Children should never have access to the keys.
	Police can offer advice on safe storage and gun/trigger locks.

If you see these rules not being followed it is f you see these rules not being followed it is ok to remind your parents about them. Your parents should talk to you about gun safety - but you don't know if friends who enter your home have had the same conversation.

If you see a gun in your friend's home you should:

	Steer clear of it - never touch it or play with it.
	Tell your parents what you saw immediately.
	Ask your parents permission to play at homes that may have guns. Your parents will want to know if the parents follow proper gun safety and storage.

If you see a gun at school, at a playground or outside your home you should:

Steer clear of it - never touch it or play with it.

Tell a teacher, an adult, a parent or a police officer what you saw immediately.

Guns are dangerous.

Kids should never touch guns. Gun violence on TV and in the movies is not real. In real life children can be hurt with guns.

If you see a gun, have questions about guns or are curious at all about them it is OK to talk to your parents, a teacher, a counselor or a police officer. It is not ok to test the rules on gun issues, the safest thing for you to do is steer clear of guns.

On Monday, February 29, 2000 a 6-year-old girl was tragically shot to death in Mount Morris Township, Michigan. Her suspected killer is a 6-year-old male classmate. The news story indicates the shooter carried the pistol in his pocket to school that morning.