Project ChildSafe launches S.A.F.E. Summer Across America Campaign

VSSA is proud to partner with  Project ChildSafe and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to promote the “S.A.F.E. Summer Across America” campaign. The campaign will focus attention on the importance of safe firearm storage—particularly while children are home from school and more likely to be unattended.

NSSF is implementing S.A.F.E. Summer to further spread the message of Project ChildSafe and help prevent firearm accidents, theft and misuse. "S.A.F.E." serves as an acronym for Store your firearms responsibly when not in use; Be Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to guns; Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner and Educate yourself and others about safe firearm handling and storage. The effort is focused on providing education and tools that helps gun owners take responsible action to keep their families and communities safer.

 Educational materials and resources are also available through the Project ChildSafe (www.projectchildsafe.org) website and social media, with tips on safe firearm storage, brochures, and information on the variety of safe storage options available.

Last week, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) launched a public service announcement campaign to get gun owners to lock up their firearms when not in use. VSSA is betting however that S.A.F.E. Summer Across America will be better received than the approach taken by NCPC and BJA.

NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 1998 (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 has provided more than 36 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners in all 50 states and five U.S. territories. That's in addition to the more than 60 million free locking devices manufacturers have included with new firearms sold since 1998 and continue to do today.

Project ChildSafe 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.