Gun safety is making strides in Illinois thanks to a statewide initiative providing free gun locks, now crossing the milestone of 100,000 distributed. The Henry and Stark County Health Departments, along with First Choice Healthcare, urge residents to pick up these free safety devices at their offices in Kewanee, Colona, and Toulon. Authorities emphasize that locking both firearms and ammunition can cut the risk of self-inflicted and accidental injuries among children and teens by more than 75 percent. For crisis support, contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, then press 1, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. More at henrystarkhealth.com.
“These simple steps can be life saving for the adolescent or adult who reaches for a firearm in an impulsive gesture during a moment of crisis. Or for a school-age child who thinks the firearm is a toy,” said RaeAnn Tucker, Director of Health Promotion with the Henry and Stark County Health Department.
Tucker adds, “The purpose of this program is to limit young people having easy access to guns. In addition, this initiative is being used to prevent readily accessible guns being in the hands of the wrong people or individuals in mental crisis. Therefore, we encourage family members of and those with mental health concerns to take advantage of these free gun locks.
Residents can pick up free gun safety locks by stopping by the Henry and Stark County Health Department Offices and First Choice Healthcare clinic locations in Kewanee, 110 N. Burr Blvd; Colona, 103 1st St.; and Toulon, 120 E. Court St. Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm.
Health officials report that every day, 64 Americans lose their lives to firearm suicide—one every 22 minutes. Studies find that homes securing both firearms and ammunition see a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85 percent reduction in unintentional injuries for children and teens. To help address this crisis and reduce stigma around gun safety, free gun locks are available through the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or visiting VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. Additional information on the Free Gun Safety Locks program can be found at www.henrystarkhealth.com or on their social media platforms.
