Columbia, South Carolina – The City of Columbia is once again joining cities across the country in emphasizing the necessity of safe gun storage as the second annual SMART Week campaign officially begins. From August 25 to August 29, local law enforcement, schools, and healthcare providers will work together to raise awareness about how safe storage procedures can stop tragedies.
The City’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement is in charge of the campaign in Columbia, along with the Columbia Police Department, Midlands Be SMART, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Orangeburg County School District, the Richland County School Districts One and Two, and Prisma Health. Under the Be SMART for Kids framework, they are all working together to give families useful tools to lower the risks associated with unsecured firearms.
The numbers show how important the project is. Guns are now the most common way for kids and teens to die in the United States. Almost three out of four school shooters got their guns from a parent or relative’s house, according to the data.
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Every year, about 360 kids accidentally shoot themselves or someone else after getting their hands on a gun. That’s about one shooting that could have been stopped every day. Also, about a third of gun deaths among people under 18 are suicides, and most of these deaths involve a gun that belonged to a family member. Another concern that is developing is that at least one gun is stolen from a car every nine minutes in the US, which leads to more violence in communities.
During SMART Week, organizers want people to follow the five steps of the Be SMART model: keep all guns safe in homes and cars; show how to use guns safely; ask about guns that aren’t locked up in homes where kids play; understand the link between guns and suicide; and tell others to do the same. City officials noted that the goal is for proper storage techniques to become the norm in the community, especially as youngsters go back to school.
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Today, August 25 at 3 p.m., there will be a press conference to kick off the campaign. It will take place in the Council Chambers on the third level of Columbia City Hall, which is located at 1737 Main Street. Local leaders, advocates, and law enforcement are likely to underscore how important it is for parents, families, and community members to work together to keep guns safe so that children are safe.
More details about the Be SMART initiative can be found at BeSMARTforKids.org, or by reaching out to Midlands Be SMART directly at [email protected].
