Advice on firearm injury prevention
Veterans shared what they believe are the most important factors in preventing firearm injuries. They discussed the importance of maintaining the functionality of a firearm and developing a routine to follow when servicing it. They also shared their thoughts on the viability of firearm safety devices and the benefit of continued firearm safety training for firearm users, including long-term firearm owners. There are Veterans who feel, however, that some firearm injuries are simple accidents and that there is little that the VA can do to prevent them.
Continued firearm safety training
Robert believes it is important to routinize basic firearm safety procedures.
Robert believes it is important to routinize basic firearm safety procedures.
Get a routine and stick to it. Always remember that, you know, the first thing to do with a weapon if you pick it up is to make sure it’s not loaded. And every time you are done with the weapon, make sure it’s not loaded, the magazine is removed, or the round is not in the chamber, whether it’s a bolt action rifle, or something like that, you know. And never carelessly point it at somebody. Make sure if you go out to shoot, that you are not shooting, you know, the bullet is not going somewhere where it might hurt somebody. You want to make sure you are, you know, if you are out, say you hang a target somewhere, that you’re not going to end up shooting into a neighborhood or something.
Jessica feels there should be training for both Veterans and civilians.
Jessica feels there should be training for both Veterans and civilians.
If you specifically ask if there is anything that can be done to prevent veterans from getting firearm injuries, or perpetrating firearm injuries--or however it is, veterans being involved in firearm injuries--I think a lot of the answers are similar to, how do you prevent civilian firearm injuries? I think there is a direct parallel between understanding the four fundamentals of marksmanship, understanding that most injuries happen because of an unsteady position or because of lack of discipline with your trigger squeeze, or because of any number of factors, that goes the same. That goes the same for both veterans and civilians, and I think the only antidote to that is more training--more training and more awareness.
Johnny believes that injuries could be prevented with proper maintenance of a firearm.
Johnny believes that injuries could be prevented with proper maintenance of a firearm.
Proper maintenance. Most accidental shootings—especially like the ones that I went through; proper preventive maintenance. Had I gone through and double-checked her sling, I would’ve realized that the bottom screw for the sling was stripped out of the stock, and then I could’ve fixed it. I didn’t check it because I was tired that night because I’d worked all day at the VFW, and then cooked dinner, and fixed my truck, and was doing all sorts of stuff. And so, I was tired, and she wanted that sling—some Muddy Girl camo sling. Yeah. And I was like, you know, “We’ll take care of it tomorrow after we get back from hunting. No big deal.” And she decided that wasn’t good enough and decided she was going to change the sling. And I should’ve double-checked it. Actually, I should’ve just done it for her. I should’ve just done it and I didn’t. And I got shot the next day because, so.
Eric feels that civilians who own firearms should be required to take a gun safety class.
Eric feels that civilians who own firearms should be required to take a gun safety class.
I think if anyone should be able to buy firearms, it should be military trained personnel. Because you have been trained adequately on how to take care of the weapons. It’s not a lot of the Veterans that are doing all this crazy stuff that everybody keeps saying. It’s these young kids that never served in the military, they spend their time in the basement playing video games, they’re not in touch with reality, and they don’t really care about: one, about other people, and two, they say, “Oh, well it ain’t what’s going to happen when I go shooting all these people and stuff.” You know, like I say, I think it’s the non-military people that need to be screened harder than military people. That they should have to take a mandatory gun safety class. Not just for children to get a hunter’s license. Everyone should have to take a mandatory gun class.
Tom believes that all firearm owners could use more training to prevent injuries.
Tom believes that all firearm owners could use more training to prevent injuries.
I’ll say, I’ve always said this, is anybody can always use more training. Anybody. Even me. I can use more training every single day. And I have been training for 25 years, 30 years now. And so, to me, it’s a never-ending process. You’re always learning. And you know, I’ve got a saying, “You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. Nothing ever stays the same.” So, you just try to get a little bit better each day. And that’s what I tell all my guys that come to me for advice or anything like that. You know, one foot in front of the other. Do the things you know how to do right and, you know, keep your head up and just keep moving forward.
Jason suggests that hearing from others who have experienced unintentional injuries could help other Veterans engage in safe storage practices.
Jason suggests that hearing from others who have experienced unintentional injuries could help other Veterans engage in safe storage practices.
Maybe hearing from someone who got injured because it wasn't stored away properly, or someone who, it was their doing, and they didn't store it properly and because of that, one of their family members got injured. Hearing them speak, and talk about their experience, and stuff like that, I think would help somebody learn how important that is.
Safety devices for injury prevention
William B explains the effectiveness of firearm safety devices.
William B explains the effectiveness of firearm safety devices.
You know you can have a gun sitting in the corner of your house with a trigger lock on it or a safety lock on it and a kid cannot pick it up and in advertently hurt themselves with it or somebody else. I believe they work. I just – I got enough, and I’ve been around them enough and stuff that I went and spent the money, and I bought a vault. So, that there is no question. I don’t have to worry about it. Yes, trigger locks. Magazines – or chamber locks, trigger locks, safety locks, they work. Implemented and used correctly, they will work. That is fine, yes, hundred percent.
Doug says that people who keep firearms in the house should consider using “any sort of thing that could be put in place to make them safer.”
Doug says that people who keep firearms in the house should consider using “any sort of thing that could be put in place to make them safer.”
I feel like everybody with guns in the home, especially with children, needs to be doing trigger locks in a gun safe; and for other reasons too, what if they get broken and stolen, and used for crime or whatever? I feel like there should be that level of gun safety going on, I just... I don’t… it's complicated, people get so emotional over it. Trigger locks, any sort of thing that could be put in place to make them safer in gun cabinets, locking gun cabinets. Also, if I was raising young children and I was into firearms, I would have them in a firearm safety course as soon as possible and get them used to the idea that guns are extremely dangerous.
Tony thinks that firearm safety devices are important for general safety and for suicide prevention.
Tony thinks that firearm safety devices are important for general safety and for suicide prevention.
Yes. Yes, 100%. Yes I do. Cable locks. I do not know about the other one you said. A cable lock on there or a case, having your weapons in a case, yes, I feel like it would be a good thing for anybody to have. It is not just veterans. See, where I live, the last three months, has it been two children or three people the last four months dead? They killed themselves. They killed themselves with their parent’s guns. Look it up on the news and you will see it. I believe everybody should have their shit locked up, yeah. I do not have mine locked up. True enough. True enough I do not. I am not going to sit here and call the kettle black if that is how you say it. My words get mixed up. We do not have any children here in the house. When they come, I make sure the door is locked and my bedroom door is shut every single time they are here. I believe everybody ought to have their weapons locked up.
Not all firearm injuries can be prevented
Andrew feels there is little that the VA can do to prevent firearm injuries.
Andrew feels there is little that the VA can do to prevent firearm injuries.
No more than they could do from preventing car injuries or you know, accidental slips and fall injuries. There’s – now slips and falls, they could be – they could actually help out with that, but when you give someone control of something that could be used as a weapon, how are you supposed to teach them how to control that? It’s like telling them how to drive their car. It’s an object that can be used as a weapon. I mean I don’t see how the VA could actually help anybody as far as, like, keeping them from hurting another human being with a weapon. I don’t see it.
Keith says some firearms injuries are “just accidents.”
Keith says some firearms injuries are “just accidents.”
I think that a lot of injuries that occur from firearms are just accidents that are gonna happen no matter what. Like with mine. I just think they’re flukes. You know what I mean?