The Henry and Stark County Health Departments, together with First Choice Healthcare, are offering free gun locks to residents in Kewanee, Colona, and Toulon. This effort is part of a statewide initiative that has distributed over 100,000 locks in under a year, aiming to reduce gun violence and accidental injuries. Health officials stress that households securing both firearms and ammunition see significantly lower risks of self-inflicted and accidental gun injuries, especially among children and teens. Gun locks can be picked up weekdays at health department offices and clinic locations.
“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.
Every 22 minutes, an American dies by firearm suicide, according to Health Department officials. Research highlights that locking both firearms and ammunition cuts the risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries by 78 percent and reduces unintentional injuries among youth by 85 percent. With gun violence being treated as a public health crisis, free gun safety locks are now available through the Henry and Stark County Health Department and First Choice Healthcare clinics in Kewanee, Colona, and Toulon, Monday through Friday. The initiative encourages families and those facing mental health challenges to secure firearms and helps prevent tragic outcomes.
Additional details about the Free Gun Safety Locks program can be found on the official website, www.henrystarkhealth.com, or by following the Henry and Stark County Health Departments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.