NSSF'S PROJECT CHILDSAFE, LOCAL LEADERS LAUNCH "PROJECT CHILDSAFE DALLAS" TO ADDRESS FIREARM SAFETY, SUICIDE PREVENTION

NSSF will distribute 10,000 free gun locks for Dallas residents to promote secure firearm storage

WASHINGTON and DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, together with the Dallas Police Department and several other Dallas-based organizations, today announced the start of  "Project ChildSafe® Dallas," a citywide initiative to promote firearm safety and secure firearm storage to help prevent firearm accidents, thefts and suicide throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Partners in the program, in addition to the Dallas Police Department, include GRITR Range, the DC Project ? Texas Chapter, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention ? North Texas Chapter, North Texas Chapter of the National African American Gun Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and Bass Pro Shops. Efforts to bring in additional stakeholders are ongoing.

The program is modeled after similar programs across through the U.S., including in Columbia, South Carolina; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Memphis, Tennessee, and others.  Over the course of the next several weeks, NSSF's Project ChildSafe initiative will provide more than 10,000 cable gun locks and educational resources to these partners to distribute to local residents ? free of charge and no questions asked. The gun locks and safety literature are being made available through a grant to NSSF from the office of Gov. Greg Abbott, with additional support from the firearm industry.

The program will include a digital advertising campaign targeted to Dallas-area residents and a billboard on I-35 East to deliver firearm safety messages and tell residents where they can get a free lock.  

"We know secure firearm storage works ? it is the number one way to help prevent firearm accidents, thefts and suicide," said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. "We want to help anyone who has an unsecured gun in their home take the steps to store it securely and responsibly, when it's not in use, and we're grateful to have so many partners on the ground supporting us in this effort."

Residents can pick up gun locks at any of the following locations:

• The Dallas Police Department ? all locations
• GRITR Range ? 7901 26 Blvd, North Richland Hills
• Texas Parks & Wildlife Department?Hunter Education Classes
• Bass Pro Shops - 2501 Bass Pro Drive, Grapevine
• Additional locations to be announced

Project ChildSafe also provides a library of resources on a number of gun safety topics, such as secure storage options, benefits of a lock box and suicide prevention, including a new resource for parents of teens and tips on how to have "the talk" about firearm safety with children of all ages.

About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearm industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (prior to 2003 the program was called Project HomeSafe) as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. Since 1999, the program has provided more than 40 million free firearm safety kits that include a gun lock to gun owners in all 50 states and the five U.S. territories. That's in addition to the more than 70  million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF: NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

SOURCE NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION