Galveston police and community leaders launch project firearm safety initiative

CW39 Houston
by: Kara Willis
Posted: Jul 17, 2023 / 04:35 PM CDT
Updated: Jul 17, 2023 / 01:10 PM CDT

GALVESTON, Texas (KIAH) — Galveston police and city leaders will partner with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, The Firearm Industry Trade Association and its Project ChildSafe program on Tuesday to host the city-wide launch of “Project ChildSafe Galveston.”

The purpose of the initiative is to encourage responsible firearm ownership and promote the secure storage of guns. This is an effort to help prevent gun accidents, thefts and misuse of firearms, including suicide.

According to EveryTown For Gun Safety, guns are the second leading cause of death for Texas Youth. Statistics show that 321 children and teens are killed by gun violence in an average year. Texas ranks 22nd in the nation for the rate of gun deaths and injuries from guns.

Parents can find resources on ProjectChildSafe for the signs to look out for in their children if they feel their child may want to harm themselves or others, like these warnings:

• If your teen talks about killing themselves, feel hopeless or feel they have no reason to live,
• If your teen appears depressed, anxious, irritable, humiliated or agitated,
• engages in an increase in alcohol or drugs,
• isolates themselves from friends, family and activities,
• shows lack of effort in school or misses school often,
• has a change in sleeping or eating patterns,
• has aggressive behavior,
• says goodbye to family or friends/gives belongings away,
• shows internet searches for materials and ways to self-harm,
• make sudden social media posts related to any of the above.

Things that you can do to safely store firearms:

• firearms should be safely stored with a lock and unloaded when not in use. Read your firearm manual and know how to safely remove any ammunition from the firearm,
• when possible and where permitted by law, store firearms away from the home so they’re not accessible for anyone at risk,
• unload and store firearm immediately after returning from a hunting trip or day at range,
• gun locks should be used as additional safety precaution and not as a substitute for secure storage,
• Educate everyone in the family about firearm safety and prevention from unauthorized access,

More tips on firearm safety for parents and how to have conversations with an at-risk teen, can be found here.