Public Health Madison & Dane County announced a new campaign urging gun owners in Dane County to practice safe gun storage at home. The awareness campaign includes a Public Service Announcement written and created by Dane County youth, digital advertising, social media, and website resources.
The campaign focuses on how gun owners can help prevent firearm injuries, including accidental shootings. Since 2023, there have been 42 non-fatal accidental shootings, including several involving children, and 128 suicides using firearms in Dane County.
“Gun injuries and deaths are preventable. Storing your firearms away securely can help prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening in the future. As a community, it’s our collective responsibility to keep firearms out of the hands of anyone who should not have access to them,” said Public Health Madison & Dane County Director Janel Heinrich.
“Involving youth voices in this campaign is critical. Young people in Madison recognize the impact firearms can have in our community and are asking the adults in their lives to take action. I want to thank the youth who stepped up to help spread awareness,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.
Whenever a firearm is not in use, whether it’s at home, in a car, or anywhere else, it should be stored securely. Consider these three simple steps to ensure safe storage:
- Unload the firearm. Remove all ammunition from the firearm.
- Lock the firearm. Secure guns with a firearm locking device or in a locked location. There is a wide range of options from lockboxes to gun safes, even devices with biometric authentication.
- Separate the ammunition. Store ammunition in a separate, locked location away from the firearm. Keeping guns and ammo apart adds a critical layer of safety, especially in homes with children, teens, or individuals in crisis.
Parents and caregivers can also talk with children about firearm safety and teach them that any situation involving an unsupervised gun is a dangerous situation.
“Keeping our kids safe is a responsibility we all share. Children are naturally curious, and we cannot always know what they will do when an adult is not in the room. Safely securing firearms and talking with children about gun safety are simple, important steps that can prevent a tragedy and save lives,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard.
