Be SMART<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Rue said the group’s Be SMART program is a critical component of the group’s educational efforts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Be SMART is an acronym that reminds people to:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t — Secure all guns in homes and vehicles.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t — Model responsible behavior around guns.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t — Ask about unsecured guns in the home of friends and relatives before a child visits.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t — Recognize the role of guns in suicide.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t — Tell your peers to Be SMART about guns.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Rue said firearms should be unloaded, locked and stored separately from ammunition.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “Unintentional child shootings are 100% preventable,” she said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Rue said that safely storing firearms also keeps them away from people barred from having guns or those struggling with mental health issues that could lead to suicide.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t She said that guns can be secured with cable locks, thread through the barrel of a firearm, trigger locks or a gun case.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t This picture shows a trigger lock, which according to local activists, is an inexpensive way to secure guns and help prevent unintentional shootings. (Courtesy photo\/Sally Rue)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t The NRA also advises storing guns so they aren’t accessible to unauthorized people and keeping a gun unloaded until it’s ready to use.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t According to NRA safety rules<\/a>, “Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person’s particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun-safety rules.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Not my child<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Rue said many parents think their children won’t be interested in guns or will shy away from touching them if they find one.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t But, Rue said that Everytown for Gun Safety research indicates that children who have attended gun safety training will still touch a gun out of curiosity and that most children know where family guns are kept and how to access them. She cited the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior <\/a>Survey<\/a>, conducted by the Alaska Division of Public Health, that showed that nearly half of Alaska’s high school students reported that they could get and be ready to fire a loaded gun.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Rue said that the group works with the Juneau Police Department and Juneau schools to get the word out about safe gun storage. She said that pre-pandemic Gross Alaska Theaters showed a short, educational video on the topic.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27428911_web1_Guns-JUE-211207-Gunsafety_1-scaled.jpg\")
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