Secure Gun Storage Saves Lives: Observing Suicide Prevention Month

iSportsman Staff

September is a fantastic time of year. The hot summer weather is finally yeilding to cooler mornings. Football is back at a high school, college or television near you. And for sportsmen, many hunting seasons are opening or about to open with preparation under way. But it is also a serious time to reflect, as September is Suicide Prevention Month, and while it’s never an easy topic to talk about, it’s one that matters to every single gun owner.

Last week marked NSSF’s Gun Storage Check Week, a nationwide initiative designed to remind gun owners to stop, think and make sure their firearms are secured from anyone who shouldn’t have them—whether that’s a curious child, a burglar looking for a quick score or a loved one in the middle of a mental health crisis. The campaign is part of NSSF’s ongoing “Make Sure It’s Secure” effort, which encourages safe and responsible storage of firearms when they aren’t under your immediate control.

“Secure storage of firearms can prevent accidents, thefts and misuse, including suicide by someone in crisis,” NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi said in announcing the campaign. “Gun owners have many choices for safe storage, and the best storage method is the one that provides ready access when you need your firearm and keeps it away from those who shouldn’t have it.”

Time and distance are what experts say can save lives when someone is struggling. According to the CDC, suicide accounts for more than half of all firearm-related deaths in the United States each year. The goal isn’t to deny access permanently for someone not in the right frame of mind; it’s to slow things down enough for the crisis to hopefully pass or for help to arrive. For many gun owners, in fact, many people period, the challenge is “how do you protect someone from themselves?”

The reality is you can’t. But if you control the access in your home and someone else is having suicidal thoughts, ensuring they can’t get ahold of a firearm at least forces them to rethink the way they might harm themselves, and from that, hopefully provide enough time until they get help or the impulse passes. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, you have to try to be honest and reach out for help…and as some groups are advocating, temporarily lock your guns away from yourself. It’s an admittedly hard ask for many gun owners.

Safe Storage is Easy

For hunters and recreational shooters, safe storage may start with the basics: a locking cabinet or gun safe at home, or a locking case when traveling to camp or the range. For new gun owners, it can be as simple as using a cable lock—thousands of which are given out for free every year through NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program—or a small lock box for a nightstand handgun. For those facing a tough time personally or who have a family member in crisis, some local gun shops, law enforcement agencies and ranges even offer temporary storage options, part of a growing national movement like the Pause to Protect initiative.

These are practical steps that help keep firearms out of the wrong hands and in yours when you need them most. And while the topic of suicide prevention is heavy, there’s nothing political about it. It’s simply good gun ownership.

NSSF and its partners are making it easier than ever for gun owners to act. GunStorageCheck.org offers resources to evaluate your current storage setup and find solutions that fit your budget and lifestyle. Retailers and ranges are encouraged to share the message and display materials reminding customers about safe storage practices. The suicide prevention toolkit even includes hang tags for firearms and cable locks printed with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a number that anyone can call or text if they or someone they love is struggling.

None of this is about taking guns away. It’s about making sure they’re there when you need them and not when you don’t. That’s a message NSSF and Pause to Protect are hoping every gun owner can get behind.

For resources on safe storage options, free cable lock programs and suicide prevention tools, visit GunStorageCheck.org and PauseToProtect.org. If you or someone you know is in crisis, dial 988 to connect with trained counselors right now.