The Stutsman County Human Rights Coalition (SCHRC) will host a presentation by Martha Wheeler from Be SMART on Thursday, April 18th, 2024 at 7 p.m. at the Alfred Dickey Library in Jamestown.
Be SMART promotes the safe storage of guns in homes to protect children and teens from tragic incidents. Best practices, safe storage options, and resources for families will be discussed by the presenters.
“Firearms are now the leading cause of death among children in the United States. But these tragedies are preventable. The Be SMART campaign was launched in 2015 to promote responsible gun ownership in order to reduce the deaths, injuries and trauma that can result when a child or teen is able to access a gun. Since that time, Be SMART volunteers have encouraged community leaders to come together to emphasize the importance of gun safety and the everyday actions we all can take to keep guns out of the hands of kids.”
“The conversation around the importance of gun safety has only just begun. With the help of community leaders, police departments, and the everyday American who wants to make our communities safer for young children and teens, Be SMART continues to broaden its reach and share its message encouraging responsible gun ownership and secure gun storage. Because when our children are safe, our community is safe.”
Be SMART seeks to reduce unsupervised possession of unsecured guns and use by children and teens. SMART stands for:
- Secure all guns – many secure storage options for adults to still have quick access, but keep children from finding and using guns in the home. Also theft of guns is a major problem.
- Model responsible behavior – best practices for storage of weapons – kids know where guns are in their house, and parents often do not know that children have handled them unsupervised.
- Ask about unsecured guns in others’ homes – 4.6 million children live in a household where there is at least one unsecured and unlocked gun. Children visit or overnight stays – ask parents about what guns are in the household and how they are safely stored. Ways to have an unemotional conversation about this topic with other parents.
- Recognize the role of guns in suicide – 90% of attempts with a gun result in death higher than all other means. Need for temporary storage options and to keep guns away from teenagers with suicidal ideation.
- Tell everyone you know to “be SMART.”
SCHRC holds monthly educational presentations on various issues related to human rights as well as partnering with other organizations for special events. www.facebook.com/StutsmanHRC or www.stutsmancountyhumanrightscoalition.org/ More information about Be SMART can be found at their website: www.BeSMARTforKids.org