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INDICATORS FOR RISK
- Firearms are present in the home
- A person has acute depression
- A person has threatened to harm themselves or someone else
- Family members have felt unsafe in the home
SAFETY STRATEGIES
- The best option is to remove firearms from the home BEFORE there is a major concern.
- Remove firearms and ammunition.
- Even without a firearm, ammunition is still dangerous if subjected to the right conditions including a fireplace, stove, furnace, oven, microwave oven, disposal, or hammer.
- Do not allow a person with depression access to a firearm.
- If there is a firearm in the house it must be put in a safe and secure place. The best location is a locked cabinet, drawer, or lockbox.
- It is not sufficient to unload a firearm and place a trigger lock on it. A disabled firearm still presents a risk as others cannot tell if the weapon is loaded or unloaded.
- Contact the local police or sheriff’s office for help with legal firearm removal.
