Public Health Madison & Dane County Monday announced a new awareness campaign to promote safe gun storage in the home.
The campaign is highlighted by a public service announcement that was written and created by local youth.
Since 2023, Public Health said there have been 42 non-fatal accidental shootings — several involving children — and 128 suicides using firearms in Dane County.
The campaign will also employ digital advertising, social media and website resources.
Gun owners are encouraged to follow three simple steps to ensure safe gun storage:
- Unload all ammunition from the firearm
- Lock the firearm with a firearm locking device or place it in a locked location
- Separate the ammunition from the firearm by storing it in a separate, locked location.
“Gun injuries and deaths are preventable. Storing your firearms away securely can help prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening in the future,” Public Health Madison & Dane County Director Janel Heinrich said in a press release. “As a community, it’s our collective responsibility to keep firearms out of the hands of anyone who should not have access to them.”
