Critical days of summer week 14: privately-owned weapon safety Published Aug. 23, 2010 By Heather Winters 17th Training Wing Safety GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Every year more than 1,500 firearm incidents involving privately-owned weapons are usually caused by carelessness or ignorance. Some parents assume that hiding spots such as under the mattress or on a high shelf in the closet are safe and their children won't find it, however, out of the 1,500 incidents, the National Rifle Association of America notes about 200 of them involve youths younger than 14. Prevent firearm incidents by securing weapons and ammunitions separately, and with locks and keys accessible only to the owner. Keep weapons unloaded and teach children to stay away from areas with weapons. Parents should also teach their children not to touch any gun if they see one, leave the area and tell an adult. Adults also fall victim to weapons incidents. These incidents usually happen when the victim moves into the line of fire, is not seen by the shooter or is mistaken for game. Accidental discharges happen when a handler trips with a loaded firearm, while unloading a weapon from a vehicle, loading and unloading ammo, or while playing with a gun assuming it's unloaded. Remember to T.H.I.N.K. T: treat every weapon as if it's loaded. H: handle every weapon with care. I: identify the target before firing. N: never point the muzzle at anything that's not intended to be shot. K: keep the weapon on safe and fingers off the trigger until ready to fire. Using T.H.I.N.K. lessens the chance of harming someone or accidentally taking a life. There's no life worth the time it takes to properly and safely handle and use privately-owned weapons.
