Regional One Health Elvis Presley Trauma Center experts say many gun injuries are preventable if gun owners focus on steps like secure storage and responsible behavior.
They offer free “Be SMART” classes to teach groups and organizations throughout our community about gun safety.
By modeling smart behavior, storing weapons in a safe manner, and talking to kids and peers about gun safety, we can all help keep our community safer.
After the U.S. Surgeon General declared firearm violence a public health crisis, the team at Regional One Health’s Elvis Presley Trauma Center is reaching out to educate our community about safe gun storage, modeling responsible behavior, and how to talk to others about safety.
Geretta Hollins, Community Outreach/Injury Prevention Program Coordinator for Burn/Trauma Services, said injuries and deaths from gun-related suicides, homicides and accidents have risen over the last decade. At the Elvis Presley Trauma Center, 1,555 patients were treated for firearm-related injuries in 2023.
“Firearm violence is pervasive,” she said. “More than half of U.S. adults or their family members have experienced a firearm-related incident in their lives, and firearm violence is now the leading cause of death among children and adolescents.”
“Fortunately, these injuries are often preventable when safe ownership is prioritized. Responsible gun ownership helps protect not only your loved ones, but the entire community.”
Regional One Health uses “Be SMART,” a national public awareness campaign that emphasizes responsible gun ownership and secure gun storage.
Our team offers free programming aimed at helping parents, caretakers, and community leaders keep our community safe. To schedule a class, email [email protected]
The “Be SMART’ model focuses on five important steps:
Gun owners should find a secure, effective storage method that works for their needs. The best storage method is one you’ll use all the time.
- Secure all firearms in your home and vehicles
- Model responsible behavior around firearms
- Ask about the presence of unsecured firearms in other homes
- Recognize the role of firearms in suicide
- Tell your peers to “Be SMART”
Hollins said “Be SMART” offers practical advice that anyone can use.
If you’re a gun owner, the model emphasizes finding an effective storage solution that meets your specific needs. “Secure gun storage solutions are not ‘one-size-fits-all.’ One type of storage that may work for one gun owner may not work for another,” according to Be SMART. “The best kind of gun storage is the type or types that you will use consistently.”
Options include full-size gun safes, smaller lockboxes or lockers, vehicle consoles or safes, gun cases, cable locks and trigger locks. These come at various price points and in various styles.
Along with safe storage, Hollins said, it’s important for gun owners to model responsible behavior and for all parents to have conversations with young people about gun safety. Kids and teens are curious but may not realize the dangers guns can pose if used irresponsibly.
Hollins noted firearm violence takes a significant toll on children in America. Along with the increase in deaths from gun violence, gun-related suicide rates increased 45% among ages 15-24 and 68% for ages 10-14 between 2012 and 2022.
Parents need to talk with their kids about gun safety. The “Be SMART” program has resources for having age-appropriate conversations.
“You should talk openly with young people about gun safety, and ‘Be SMART’ provides tips on how to have age-appropriate conversations,” Hollins said. “Also, never feel awkward asking other parents if they have guns in their homes if your children will spend time with them. It’s just like talking about a food allergy or pets – your goal is to keep your kids safe.”
Hollins said a final part of the Be SMART model is one Regional One Health takes to heart –encouraging others to engage in responsible behavior and store firearms safely.
“Gun injuries can happen to anyone,” she said. “We want everyone in our community to know this is an important issue, but we aren’t powerless. With safe storage, education, and responsible behavior, we can help make our families and our entire community safer.”
The Elvis Presley Trauma Center is the only Level-1 Trauma Center in a 150-mile radius of Memphis. A multispecialty team of experts is available 24/7 to treat the most critically injured patients from Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and parts of Missouri.
The Firefighters Burn Center is the only full-service burn center in 400 miles of Memphis that is verified by the American Burn Association. It provides comprehensive care including emergency and critical care, intensive care, specialized burn rehabilitation, and laser and plastic surgery.