Free Gun Lock Giveaway Planned for Aug. 16 in Worth

By Lorraine Swanson

State Sen. Bill Cunningham (18th District) and State Rep. Fran Hurley (35th District) along with Worth Police will be handing out free gun locks to promote firearm safety.

The gunlock giveaway takes place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, August 16, at Worth Village Hall, 7112 W. 111th St.

The Worth Police Department will be giving away 200 locks for both large-bore and small-bore guns, rifles, shotguns and handguns.

For more information, or to R.S.V.P. for a gunlock, call Rep. Fran Hurley’s office at 773-445-8128 or 708-233-9703.

Firearm owners are responsible for ensuring that guns in the home are always stored where they are inaccessible to children or other unauthorized persons. Hiding a gun in a closet, drawer or similar location is not safe storage.

Project ChildSafe, a nationwide program that promotes safe firearms handling and storage practices among all firearm owners offers these tips for safe gun storage:

Unloaded firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case. The storage location should be inaccessible to children.Gun locking devices render firearms inoperable and can be used in addition to locked storage. If firearms are disassembled, parts should be securely stored in separate locations.Ammunition should be stored in a locked location separate from firearms.Thoroughly double check firearms to confirm that they are unloaded when you remove them from storage. Accidents could occur if a family member borrows a gun and returns it to storage while still loaded.

Project ChildSafe also had this advice for parents of what to tell their children and teens about guns:

Don’t go snooping, or allow other kids to go snooping, for guns in the house.If you find a gun in your house, or anywhere else, STOP! Do not touch it or allow anyone else to. Leave the area and be sure to immediately tell an adult.Even if a gun looks like a toy, don’t touch it. Some real guns look like toy guns, so don’t take a chance. Leave the area and immediately tell an adult.

Patch File Photo