Safe Kids Missoula

Protecting youth from firearm injuries and suicide

Safe Kids Missoula works with our local chapter of Moms Demand Action, utilizing the Be SMART framework to encourage responsible firearm storage to reduce injuries.

As of 2024, firearm injuries are now the leading cause of death for children in the United States. In Montana, many of us have firearms in our household. Secure firearm storage helps keep everyone — and especially children — safe. One study found that households that locked both their firearms and ammunition were associated with an 85 percent lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children.1

Our goal is simple: we want everyone to know the steps they can take to reduce injuries among youth, and have the tools to be able to store firearms securely.

  1. Michael D. Anestis et al., “Assessment of Firearm Storage Practices in the US, 2022,” JAMA Network Open 6, no. 3 (2023): e231447, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1447. ↩︎
How do I store my firearm securely?

Secure storage helps prevent a child’s access to a firearm and reduces the risk of them injuring themselves or someone else. Secure storage involves three steps practiced together:

  • The firearm is unloaded
  • The firearm is locked using a gun lock and/or in a locked safe
  • The firearm is stored separately from ammunition

Firearms and ammunition should be stored out of reach and sight of children.

What is the Be SMART framework?

The Be SMART framework is the key message of the Be SMART campaign. The Be SMART campaign was launched in 2015 to promote responsible ownership and storage of firearms to help reduce injuries and deaths as a result of children accessing guns.

The Be SMART framework uses an acronym to helps families remember five important steps that can help reduce child gun deaths:

  • Secure all guns in your homes and vehicles. This means they are stored unloaded, locked, separately from ammunition, and out of reach and sight of children.
  • Model responsible behavior around guns. Children learn by watching, and how we interact with guns can influence their behavior.
  • Ask about unsecured guns in other homes. Before your child visits their grandparents’ house or goes for a playdate, ask if firearms are present in the home and if so, how they are stored. If you do not feel comfortable, you can suggest moving the playdate to your home or to a central location like the park.
  • Recognize the role of guns in suicide. Practices that disrupt the easy and immediate access to a firearm — like secure storage — can help reduce the risk of suicide using a gun.
  • Tell your peers to Be SMART. You can help reduce firearm injuries and deaths by sharing these five steps with friends and family.
How does secure firearm storage help prevent suicide?

The decision to attempt suicide is often made in a moment of crisis. It can take less than 10 minutes between thinking about suicide and acting on those thoughts. When we can put a barrier between someone in crisis and fatal means, it can save lives—especially among youth. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention recognizes that nearly 60 percent of all gun-related deaths in the United States are due to suicide. By practicing secure firearm storage, we can slow or eliminate access to a gun and reduce the risk of suicide.

Where can I find more information?

There are many online resources available to help families find information — whether the information is about firearm safety, secure firearm storage, suicide prevention, or even hunter safety education. Here are a few resources:

Where can I get a gun lock?

Thanks to a generous grant, Be SMART: Everytown for Gun Safety and Safe Kids Missoula have partnered to provide gun locks to families with children enrolled in the Missoula County Public School system and beyond. If you need a gun lock, call our office at (406) 926-2522.