(1/03/13) – McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to take caution during Gun Safety Month (January) as well as year-round. Access to guns creates a risk for serious injury and death. Most firearm-related injuries and deaths of children and adolescents involve handguns. 

Safety Tip Week One 
According to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), the use or possession of firearms carries with it tremendous responsibility. Whether for hunting, recreation or personal protection, proper firearm training is critical, and will reduce the incidents of firearm-related accidents. 

The following are important rules about firearms handling provided by the FCSO:
1. Consider all firearms as loaded.
2. Never point any firearm, even one you believe to be unloaded, at anything you do not wish to destroy.
3. Do not place your finger on the trigger until you have made the decision to discharge the firearm. Keep it outside of the trigger guard.
4. Be aware of the area behind your intended target. 

The FCSO says that many other safety tips can be found in publications from organizations such as the National Rifle Association (www.nra.org). The FCSO also offers a variety of courses taught by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and National Rifle Association certified instructors. Additionally, firearm safety classes and other courses are also available from a number of public and private instructors, who advertise online and in other publications. Once properly trained, the FCSO says the best way to retain learned safety skills is to practice them. 

For more information on preventing childhood injury, please call McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal at (843) 777-5021 to speak to an Injury Prevention Specialist or visit www.McLeodSafeKids.org. 

McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading cause of death in children 14 and under. McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is funded in part by the McLeod Health Foundation.