| Nearly two out of every 5 American households with | | | | your children visit or plays - Talk with your children |
| children have guns and many of those guns are left | | | | about guns - Teach young children not to touch guns, |
| loaded or unlocked. Each day an average of 8 children | | | | and to tell and adult if they find one. |
| die and at least 48 are injured due to lack of parental | | | | In additional to lethal firearms, many children are |
| supervision. | | | | playing with "Airsoft guns" such as pellet or BB guns. |
| Since firearm injuries increase during the summer | | | | These toys are manufactured to look like real hand |
| months, the children's safety advocacy group, | | | | guns, rifles and machine guns. Although classified as a |
| SafeKids, sponsored National ASK Day on June 21, | | | | toy, these projectile weapons are capable of causing |
| 2010. | | | | personal injury. |
| National ASK Day is an awareness campaign that | | | | Each year approximately 20,000 kids have sustained |
| brings awareness to parents to ask the responsible | | | | injuries serious enough to go to the hospital |
| adults in the household where the child plays, | | | | emergency room. These toy guns are capable of |
| whether there are loaded firearms in the home. I | | | | firing BBs at fast speeds; hundreds of feet per |
| think this is a good step to take every day. | | | | second and if the gun is pointed towards the eyes or |
| If you are a parent, you are probably familiar with | | | | face, it can cause injuries. Last month a 10 year old |
| the typical questions you ask when your child is | | | | boy was suspended from school after he brought a |
| invited to a play date; will there be an adult present, | | | | pellet gun to school and shot at another child in the |
| do you have a pool, etc. In addition to the other | | | | leg. |
| questions, it is important to ask about firearms as | | | | Fortunately the injury was not serious, but this |
| well. | | | | incident does draw attention to the problem. To |
| Last month a young girl was tragically killed by her | | | | make matters worse, when asked where he |
| friend in a Southern California community. The friend | | | | purchased the gun, the young boy said he purchased |
| was playing with a gun that he thought was unloaded | | | | it from the ice cream truck in his neighborhood. The |
| when it accidentally discharged, killing his friend. Kids | | | | Whittier school district has suspended the boy. |
| and Guns is a safety organization that educates gun | | | | Lastly, since this toy guns look so real, the additional |
| owners and children about gun safety tips and makes | | | | danger is that law enforcement can't always discern |
| the following recommendations. | | | | the difference when called to the scene. This can |
| Parents who own a gun: - Unload your gun and lock it | | | | obviously lead to tragic consequences. As always, |
| up - Lock and store ammunition separately - Hide | | | | good supervision is the key to ensuring your child is in |
| keys where children can't find them | | | | a safe environment. |
| All Parents: - Ask if guns are safely stored at places | | | | |