NSSF’s Hunt “S.A.F.E.” Campaign Marks Another Year of Partnerships and Prevention

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October 6, 2014

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Bill Brassard
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NSSF’s Hunt “S.A.F.E.” Campaign Marks Another Year of Partnerships and Prevention

NSSF Continues Educating Gun Owners On Safety During 2014 Hunting Season

NEWTOWN, Conn. — As hunting season moves into full gear, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) calls upon gun owners to practice proper firearm handling and storage with its annual “Hunt S.A.F.E.” campaign. With the reminder that “The Hunt Isn’t Over Until You Are S.A.F.E.,” the Hunt S.A.F.E. campaign urges hunters and all other firearm owners to Secure your firearms when not in use; be Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to firearms; Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner and Educate yourself and others about safe firearm handling and storage.

“Hunting is a time-honored tradition for many Americans, and the hunting season brings a wave of excitement and activity for all enthusiasts,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. “It’s also a good time of year to remind firearm owners about the educational resources NSSF makes available so they can practice safe and responsible gun handling and storage.”

Hunt S.A.F.E. is part of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe, a program begun in 1999 (prior to 2003 the program was called Project HomeSafe) as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. The program particularly emphasizes secure firearm storage and encourages gun owners to safely secure their firearms when not in use. For more than 15 years, the program has provided educational materials, online resources and free firearm safety kits, including cable-style gun locks, to gun owners in partnership with local law enforcement.

Through its work with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies, Project ChildSafe has helped distribute more than 36 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners across the United States. This is in addition to the more than 70 million free gun locks manufacturers have included with the purchase of a new firearm.

“Properly storing firearms when not in use is the number one way to help prevent accidents,” said Sanetti. “It’s a simple step every gun owner should take to make their home, family and community more safe, and it’s why Project ChildSafe is committed to making firearm safety information available.”

Project ChildSafe and NSSF offer several educational resources on safe and responsible firearm ownership to share with families and friends:

• The Hunting Checklist for Families provides an easy to follow guide for ensuring safety while in the field.
• The Gun Storage For Your Lifestyle infographic provides guidelines on a variety of firearm storage options that keep lifestyles and budgets in mind
• The Ethical Hunter brochure from NSSF explains the treasured heritage of the hunting tradition as well as the importance of responsible hunting.
• And the Project ChildSafe webpage offers online users information on where to obtain a free firearm safety kit.

In addition to providing firearm safety information and free gun locks through Project ChildSafe, NSSF and the firearms industry have also united behind the “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” initiative to continually promote the message of responsible firearm ownership. The “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” initiative urges gun owners to practice safe gun handling and storage, year-round regardless of the season. The initiative is supported by more than 600 partners from the firearm industry and hunting and conservation communities, including many state fish and wildlife departments. Through these partnerships, the “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” logo is featured prominently in places most frequented by gun owners, ensuring that the message of gun safety rings loud and clear.

“We’re very proud of the progress we’ve made to raise awareness about firearm safety with our ‘Own It? Respect It. Secure It.’ campaign,” said Sanetti. “Our goal is to encourage firearms owners to continually embrace the practice of proper handling and storage and to always remember the most important responsibility that comes with firearm ownership: Store Your Firearms Responsibly.”

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About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.

About Project ChildSafe

NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (prior to 2003 the program was called Project HomeSafe) as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. While children are a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help young people and adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. The program was originally supported by federal grants provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. Since 2008, when this funding was cut, the firearms manufacturing industry has solely funded the Project ChildSafe program through the members of NSSF.