BCH and Be SMART partner to promote gun safety using five simple steps

Boulder Community Health is pleased to partner with Be SMART to share Be SMART gun safety education through all our eight BCH-owned-and-operated primary care clinics. Be SMART is a national campaign that was launched in 2015 to promote responsible gun ownership to reduce child gun death, injury and trauma that can result when a child is able to access a gun. The campaign aims to raise awareness that secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition—can save children’s lives.

Firearms are now the leading cause of death among children in the United States. A quick look at the statistics reflect the vital importance of secure gun storage:

• 4.6 million children in America live in homes with guns that are both loaded and unlocked.

• 350 children 17 and under gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else—sometimes fatally —each year.

• 33% of all gun deaths among children and teens are suicides and 62% of all gun deaths among children and teens are homicides.

• Three-quarters of school shooters acquired their firearm from the home of a parent or a close relative.

Be SMART guidance focuses on five simple, easy-to-remember actions using the SMART acronym:

Secure: Securing your guns may save a life. Be sure to follow best practices for gun storage to ensure all guns are stored unloaded and secured in a safe place that is inaccessible to children and ask your neighbors and friends to do the same.

Model: Model responsible behaviors for gun ownership. Adults are responsible for making sure children are safe and understand the danger a weapon may pose. Set an example for your friends and family members.

Ask: Ask about unsecured guns in the homes that your children visit. Don’t be afraid to ask if any weapons in the home are responsibly stored.

Recognize: Recognize the role that guns play in suicide. More than 40% of child gun-related deaths are from suicide. Make sure that any child at risk of self-harm does not have access to guns in your home.

Tell: Tell as many people as you can to Be SMART. With more than 3,963 children killed by guns every year, we simply cannot afford to be silent. Start a conversation about gun safety today.

BCH and Be SMART encourage parents and caretakers to help spread the Be SMART message by talking to your friends and family about this important topic.

For more information or to schedule a Be SMART presentation for your group, please contact your local Be SMART chapter at MDBeSMART@gmail.com or BeSMARTColorado@gmail.com. You can also find additional resources and information online at BeSMARTforkids.org, by texting SMART to 644-33 or by following Be SMART on Facebook (BeSMARTforKids.org) or X (@Everytown).