FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

SAFETY COURSE ESSENTIAL FOR POTENTIAL GUN OWNERS

Question: My husband wants to get a shotgun for deer hunting. I'm concerned about having guns in the house, especially because we have children. Can you help me convince him that guns are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed in the home?

Answer: There is no question that firearms can be dangerous, and they are particularly dangerous in the hands of an untrained user. Children are fascinated by anything that they are not supposed to have, like firearms and are, therefore, drawn to them. So you do have good reason for concern.

Most households contain many potentially lethal things: Chemical drain openers, laundry detergent, gasoline for the lawn mower, kitchen knives, etc. The safe utilization of these beneficial items requires some planning and education. As a gun owner myself, I know the use of firearms is no different. When operated and stored properly, firearms pose no threat to your children's health. In fact, injury from household chemicals and lawn mowers are considerably more common than injuries related to firearms assuming that you don't live in a gang controlled area.

Instruction in firearm safety is a prerequisite for obtaining a hunting license in many states, including Ohio. The department of natural resources in your state can direct you to an approved safety course. I suggest that you, your husband and any older children take such a course before your husband purchases the shotgun.

Firearms are nothing more than a piece of machinery. Because you are going to have a firearm in your home, you should have sufficient understanding about its operation so that you will be comfortable around it. You see, firearms are no more inherently evil than your refrigerator.

Let me take a moment and review some basic firearm safety rules which every gun owner should follow:

NEVER store a loaded gun. The only time a weapon should be loaded is when it is in your direct personal control (in your hands or your holster) and you are ready to use it.

NEVER point a gun at a person or anything else you don't intend to shoot.

NEVER assume that a gun is unloaded.

NEVER discharge a weapon unless you know the bullet will be safely stopped (don't shoot into the air or off into that open field).

ALWAYS store your rifles, shotguns and handguns separately from their ammunition, preferably with each under separate lock and key. This makes it very unlikely that your children or an intruder could get both gun AND ammunition together as a lethal combination. It is also a good idea to store firearms in a condition which makes them inoperable. For instance, remove the bolt from rifles or take the barrel off shotguns. This way, even if the children manage to find the key to the gun cabinet, they won't be able to fire the weapon.

If your husband is following these rules, then you are over-reacting. The chance of a firearm-related accident around your house is very slim. Instead of tragedy, you may discover that the shotgun becomes a source of family centered activity. Shooting sports such as trap, skeet and sporting clays can provide much pleasure for all of the family. In fact, the National Safety Council ranks hunting and other shooting sports as among the safest of all sports.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.