Firearms Safety

Most unintentional firearm injury deaths among children occurred in homes, and firearms used most often belonged to the parent of the shooter. Many firearm-related injuries can be prevented through awareness and safe storage practices. It is important to ask other parents whether they keep firearms in their home and, if so, how those firearms are stored.

Because most unintentional firearm injuries happen at home, safe storage is essential. If you or someone you know owns a firearm, you should always:

  • Keep firearms unloaded and securely locked up  in the home. New Hampshire State law requires firearms to be kept safely stored.
  • Keep firearms and ammunition out of sight and reach of children
  • Equip firearms with trigger locks and other childproof devices
  • Make sure firearms are unloaded before you handle them
  • Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, away from others, when you are handling a firearm
  • Commit to consistently supervising children and take ongoing responsibility for teaching them about firearm safety

Avoid modeling unsafe behavior, since children are likely to imitate what they see. Always handle firearms responsibly – your child will learn from your example. 

Although air rifles aren't classified as firearms, they can still be dangerous and have long been used to hunt game. Tragically, children have suffered serious injuries—and even fatalities—from their use. It's essential to treat air rifles with the same caution as any device capable of firing a projectile.

Firearm safety resources