I was checking my news feeds this morning when I came across a story in the Cleveland Daily Banner.
Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner – Fifth grader finds loaded gun on playground follows safety procedure
My first reaction was complete shock. I have never seen a news story in which children did the correct thing when confronted with a firearm. This is no doubt a combination of the tendency for news organizations to report the bad and the fact that most children are not properly educated and accidents are more often the result. This was an exception as a fifth grader followed exact safety procedure when finding the loaded handgun at school on the playground.
In all of our firearm courses we discuss the NRA suggested rule in regards to children and firearms. Firearm owners need to be positive role models and teach children the difference between real life, video games, toys, and TV. Children need to have their curiosity satisfied at a safe and controllable level. Lastly children need to be educated and taught what to do when they find or are presented with a firearm. Specifically:
Stop
Don’t Touch
Leave the Area
Tell An Adult
The NRA has an educational program available that schools and other organizations can utilize to help teach these and other firearm safety tips to children. The Eddie Eagle program in no way is designed to promote firearm ownership or the NRA. It is designed simple to help children learn safety rules and procedures. After all, half of all American households have a firearm and as a fact of life in our society children need to be educated in firearms the same way they are taught to Stop, Drop, and Roll in a fire.
In this news story, the school had been using the Eddie Eagle program from several years to teach the children and, although we will never know, it might have just saved a life.
To learn more about the Eddie Eagle program click here.
