Gun Safety
GunSafety4Bexar
Firearms have become the leading cause of death in children and teens in the U.S. Mass shootings across Texas and the nation have captured headlines. What we hear less frequently about are the many firearm injuries that occur because guns aren’t safely stored. The result – gun-related suicides, unintentional discharges and firearm theft.
Bexar County and University Health are working to save lives through our partnership, GunSafety4Bexar. Together, we can prevent many of these tragedies by promoting safe gun storage.
Through this website, we’ll keep you updated on locations and events where gun locks will be distributed free of charge to the public. You can also notify us with your request for a gun lock.
We’ll keep you informed about other efforts to prevent unintentional firearm injuries, and you’ll find information you can use to prevent injuries in your own homes.
Request a safe firearm storage presentation
Be SMART for Kids and Safe Kids San Antonio, led by University Health, will respond to requests for presentations on safe gun storage. Request a safe gun storage presentation.
Firearm Safety Additional Resources
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia lead to a loss in ability to think, reason and remember. Nearly one-third of people with dementia exhibit combative behavior over the course of their illness, and if they have access to guns, family members and caregivers may be at risk.
It is important for families to safely store firearms in their homes. The Alzheimer’s Association has additional recommendations.
One in three homes with children in America have firearms, and many owners neglect to lock them or remove ammunition. Nine children or teens in our country are shot every day in firearm-related events – over 3,000 youth every year.
By storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition, firearm owners can help reduce the number of children who find guns and shoot themselves or someone else.
- American Academy of Pediatrics – Gun Safety and Children
- Before allowing your child in another home ask the adults: “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?"
Conditions like depression, anxiety and substance abuse increase the risk of suicide. Suicides account for nearly two-thirds of all gun deaths in the United States.
Many who take their own lives use firearms found in their own homes or in those of relatives and friends. Suicides can often be prevented when guns are unloaded, locked and ammunition is stored in a separate location.