DWS1117
Member
There was a good article about gun safety in the Montgomery County Courier written by Sgt. Bob Berry of the Conroe Police Department.
Hunting season calls for review of gun safety
By: Sgt. Bob Berry, Courier staff September 22, 2003
Hunting season is just around the corner. There is nothing like the smell of gunpowder in the morning! I noticed as I was driving on the Loop last Saturday morning that about one-third of all the vehicles on the road were pickups pulling trailers loaded with deer stands, feeders or some other type of hunting contraption.
In the frenzy to get ready for hunting season, one of the things that seems to get overlooked is gun safety. Each time a tragedy involving a gun is publicized, we hear a barrage from one side of the political fence demanding more gun control, and an equally thunderous volley from the other side with something along the lines of "guns don't kill people, people kill people." We spend too much time arguing about how many bullets a gun should be able to shoot, how long the barrel should be or how fast it should fire.
It makes no difference on which side of the political fence you sit, you can do your part to further gun safety. If you don't own guns and don't want your children to have guns, that's fine; but at least teach them what to do if they were to come across a gun. Teach them to never pick up a gun. Tell them to get an adult immediately. Treat all guns as if they were loaded. A gun is never to be played with, no matter how enticing it may be or how many of their friends may be urging them to do so.
For those of you who do have guns, the same rules, plus a few more, apply. Teach your children the proper use and safety when handling guns and that guns should not be handled unless adults are there to supervise. Functioning safeties on weapons are a must. Muzzles should be pointed in a safe direction and never at a person.
When storing guns at home, be sure they are unloaded and out of the reach of children. Keep them safe by locking them in a secure place, such as a gun safe or other area where children do not have access. If you don't have a gun safe, get trigger locks for your guns. The Conroe Police Department offers free trigger locks that will fit most handguns and long guns. Contact us at the numbers below and we will be happy to help. A trigger lock is cheap insurance when compared to the physical, emotional and monetary grief you could suffer if your gun were to fall into the wrong hands.
Remember that hunters born after Sept. 2, 1971, and are 17 years of age or older must attend a hunter safety education course. Hunters 12-16 years old must complete a hunter safety education course or be accompanied by a person over age 17. Hunters under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a person 17 years of age or older. Depending on the season, most hunters are required to wear blaze orange on their hat, chest and back.
While there may be debate on what to do about guns, there should be no debate about teaching and practicing gun safety. Safe hunting and good luck!
For more information on this or any other crime prevention topic, contact the Conroe Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at (936) 756-5588, ext. 2229, or by e-mail at [email protected].
©The Courier 2003
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10201366&BRD=1569&PAG=461&dept_id=180944&rfi=6
Hunting season calls for review of gun safety
By: Sgt. Bob Berry, Courier staff September 22, 2003
Hunting season is just around the corner. There is nothing like the smell of gunpowder in the morning! I noticed as I was driving on the Loop last Saturday morning that about one-third of all the vehicles on the road were pickups pulling trailers loaded with deer stands, feeders or some other type of hunting contraption.
In the frenzy to get ready for hunting season, one of the things that seems to get overlooked is gun safety. Each time a tragedy involving a gun is publicized, we hear a barrage from one side of the political fence demanding more gun control, and an equally thunderous volley from the other side with something along the lines of "guns don't kill people, people kill people." We spend too much time arguing about how many bullets a gun should be able to shoot, how long the barrel should be or how fast it should fire.
It makes no difference on which side of the political fence you sit, you can do your part to further gun safety. If you don't own guns and don't want your children to have guns, that's fine; but at least teach them what to do if they were to come across a gun. Teach them to never pick up a gun. Tell them to get an adult immediately. Treat all guns as if they were loaded. A gun is never to be played with, no matter how enticing it may be or how many of their friends may be urging them to do so.
For those of you who do have guns, the same rules, plus a few more, apply. Teach your children the proper use and safety when handling guns and that guns should not be handled unless adults are there to supervise. Functioning safeties on weapons are a must. Muzzles should be pointed in a safe direction and never at a person.
When storing guns at home, be sure they are unloaded and out of the reach of children. Keep them safe by locking them in a secure place, such as a gun safe or other area where children do not have access. If you don't have a gun safe, get trigger locks for your guns. The Conroe Police Department offers free trigger locks that will fit most handguns and long guns. Contact us at the numbers below and we will be happy to help. A trigger lock is cheap insurance when compared to the physical, emotional and monetary grief you could suffer if your gun were to fall into the wrong hands.
Remember that hunters born after Sept. 2, 1971, and are 17 years of age or older must attend a hunter safety education course. Hunters 12-16 years old must complete a hunter safety education course or be accompanied by a person over age 17. Hunters under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a person 17 years of age or older. Depending on the season, most hunters are required to wear blaze orange on their hat, chest and back.
While there may be debate on what to do about guns, there should be no debate about teaching and practicing gun safety. Safe hunting and good luck!
For more information on this or any other crime prevention topic, contact the Conroe Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at (936) 756-5588, ext. 2229, or by e-mail at [email protected].
©The Courier 2003
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10201366&BRD=1569&PAG=461&dept_id=180944&rfi=6
