Millions of Americans are turning to in order to keep their families safe. However, one major area that’s overlooked when it comes to home security is gun safety. Every year, thousands of people lose their lives because of improper gun storage and handling in the home, many of them children. In order to keep their families safe, homeowners should understand that proper gun security needs to be an essential part of their safety plan.
According to a 2012 Fox news article, “The National Rifle Association notes that safe and proper gun storage includes using a secure locking device. Two of the most common mechanisms are trigger locks and cable locks – the former is affixed around the weapon’s trigger to lock it in place, while the latter is a long steel cable that is looped through the action of the firearm to block its operation.”
While these mechanisms will keep the weapon from being accidentally discharged, they are not all that homeowners need to do when it comes to gun safety. What is even more important is that all weapons in the home are securely locked away in order to keep them from being used or stolen.
Gun security is an important part of home defense because if a criminal enters the home and has easy access to a weapon, he will either take it to sell or use it to commit other crimes. In a worst-case scenario, if the homeowner and the family are present during a break-in and the criminal has easy access to those guns, the results could be tragic. This is particularly true if the gun is loaded, so homeowners who keep weapons in their home should never store them this way.
One of the best ways to make gun safety a part of any home security plan is to make sure that they are always locked away. Some owners like to display their guns in a locked cabinet, but these locks are usually flimsy and can be easily picked. Guns should instead be kept in a safe or locked firebox for optimum safety. When proper gun storage is practiced and they are locked away in this manner, neither children nor thieves can gain access to them. Even when homeowners practice home security, they often forget gun safety, which can cause the deaths of the very people they are trying to protect.
Steven Ordona
Author & Pubic Relations – Steven is a fifteen year executive veteran of the home security industry and is now in charge of the site’s content. Steven is responsible for all the content created and also plays a critical role in our public relations department.