How Secure Are Firearms Around Your Home, Farm, or Ranch?
While eliminating every risk a child encounters can be a challenge, firearm injuries involving young people are not simply unavoidable incidents. According to the Children’s Safety Network, an average of approximately 4,300 children and adolescents (ages 0 to 19) died each year from firearm-related injuries between 2022 and 2024. Together, we can help reduce the potential for tragedy by ensuring responsibility begins long before a child ever encounters a firearm.
Youth firearm safety is a shared responsibility. Parents and guardians have an important role, but so do grandparents, babysitters, coaches, teachers, and other adults who welcome children into their homes or care for them. The strongest safety culture is one in which adults consistently model caution, secure firearms responsibly, communicate openly, and take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access.
Best Practices for Safe Storage
The premise “my child knows better” is not a safety plan. Neither is assuming that a firearm is safe because it is hidden, unloaded, or temporarily out of sight. Circumstances change, children grow, visitors arrive, and supervision can lapse. Precautions are far more dependable than assumptions. Therefore, here are some important safety tips related to firearm storage:
Firearms present in the home should be stored securely so that children and unauthorized users cannot access them. Firearms should be unloaded when not in use, with ammunition stored securely as well.
Keys, combinations, and other access information should never be casually available to children. Safety devices, like gun locks, can provide an additional layer of protection, but they should complement and not replace responsible storage practices.
Firearms are used to manage predators and protect livestock on farms and ranches. Multiple barns and buildings, changing work locations, visitors, and long days in the field can make storage more challenging. While it may be tempting to leave firearms where they are convenient, a written household or farm safety plan can help establish consistent expectations about where firearms are kept, who may access them, and what happens when children are nearby.
When it comes to children, out of sight should never mean out of mind. Parents should also ask about firearm storage wherever their children spend time, as a simple conversation can prevent tragedy. “Are there firearms in the home, and are they stored securely?” is a reasonable question for anyone responsible for a child. The intention is never to place judgment on another family's choices but rather to make sure children’s safety is at the forefront and they are protected.
Keeping Firearms Secure When Life Gets Hard
Conversations on risks associated with children finding unsecured firearms certainly deserve attention; however, there is another critical reason that secure firearm storage matters: suicide prevention. It’s no coincidence that Gun Storage Check Week, recognized September 1-7, 2026, coincides with National Suicide Prevention Month. Young people can experience intense emotional crises, sometimes with little warning. A moment of despair, anger, or impulsivity can become fatal when a highly lethal means is immediately accessible. Creating distance between a young person and a firearm during a crisis can provide valuable time for the situation to change and for help to reach them. Warning signs may include:
Major changes in mood or behavior
Withdrawal from friends and family
Hopelessness or giving away possessions
Talking about death or suicide
Sudden changes following a painful loss or crisis
While no single sign proves that someone is suicidal, significant changes deserve attention and should be taken seriously. Calling or texting 988 helps connect people with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Resources Rooted in Safety
Children are naturally curious and may not fully understand the dangers of firearms or the lifelong consequences of a firearm-related injury. Even children who have been taught never to touch a gun can make an unexpected decision when confronted with one. That is why education and conversations matter.
For more than three decades, the Progressive Agriculture Foundation (PAF) has been creating peer-reviewed, age-appropriate curriculum on relevant safety and health topics facing rural youth. In 2026, PAF’s firearm safety resources were revised, reviewed, and reintroduced, sharing practical solutions to educate local communities. Engaging, hands-on activities and demonstrations focus on safe storage, safe handling, and what to do if you encounter a firearm unexpectedly (Stop! Don’t Touch! Get A Trusted Adult!). From hazard hunts and safety walks to potential scenarios with thoughtful discussions, children learn to make safe, healthy, and responsible decisions about firearms.
Protecting the Future Generation
You, too, can become part of the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America! Join Progressive Agriculture Foundation’s mission of making farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children, their families, and their communities. Visit www.progressiveag.org for more information and c to learn about volunteer opportunities, donating to the cause, or how to bring a PAF Safety Day to your local community.