Be SMART for Kids
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besmartforkids.bsky.social
Be SMART for Kids
@besmartforkids.bsky.social
The Be SMART program seeks to prevent suicide, school shootings, & unintentional shootings by kids & teens through secure gun storage. #BeSMART
Kids and unsecured guns can be a lethal combination. Simple conversations can help keep children out of harm’s way. Before your child visits another person's home, ask about the presence of guns and how they are secured.

Read our resource for asking about secure gun storage: https://etwn.us/4oFxWjX
December 9, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Did you know that cars parked at residences are the most common source of stolen guns? Each stolen firearm represents a weapon in the hands of a potential criminal, making all of us less safe.

Protect kids and communities by making sure firearms are always stored securely—in homes AND vehicles.
November 30, 2025 at 8:10 PM
This Thanksgiving Day, we're thankful for our incredible #BeSMART volunteers, who work tirelessly to keep our kids and families safe!

Our volunteers are saving lives by stopping preventable gun violence by children and teens. Thank you all for your amazing work!
November 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
As you gather with family and friends this week, it's important to ask if all the firearms in the home and in vehicles are securely stored before visiting.

That means guns are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. #BeSMART
November 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
A 5-year-old boy fatally shot himself while playing with his father's unsecured firearm in Jackson, Mississippi.

Tragedies like this are preventable. Adults are always responsible for ensuring the safety of the children in their care by storing guns unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
This National Injury Prevention Day, #BeSMART is proud to partner with @injuryfreekids.bsky.social, @safekidsworldwide.bsky.social, Safe State Alliance and other leaders in injury & violence prevention to shine a light on the devastating effects of predictable and preventable injuries. #BeInjuryFree
November 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
A 4-year-old boy sustained life-threatening injuries after unintentionally discharging an unsecured firearm at a home in North Carolina.

Storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition can prevent these tragedies.
November 15, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Two 4-year-old twins were critically injured after finding and unintentionally firing a loaded gun that was hidden under a couch cushion.

Assume curious children will find guns and store them unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition

https://etwn.us/47T7BIG
Twin 4-year-olds rushed to Orlando hospital with gunshot wounds; parents arrested
Two 4-year-old twins were hospitalized after they were shot Saturday at their family home.
etwn.us
November 13, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Secure firearm storage means guns should always be inaccessible to kids—that means storing them unloaded, locked, and separated from ammunition.

Learn more about secure firearm storage at besmartforkids.org
November 12, 2025 at 2:57 PM
That's roughly one shooting per day. Unintentional shootings by children aren't accidental—they're preventable.

#BeSMART helps parents and other adults normalize having conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent unintentional shootings by children.
November 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A 7-year-old boy fatally shot himself last week after unintentionally discharging an unsecured firearm that he found while at a short-term rental property in Columbus, Ohio.

Tragedies like this are preventable with secure storage.

https://etwn.us/3WBnM8o
Boy, 7, killed after finding gun, accidentally discharging it near Grandview Heights
Columbus police are investigating a tragic incident where a 7-year-old boy accidentally shot himself after finding an unattended firearm at a short-term rental.
etwn.us
November 3, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Happy Halloween! 👻 Be SMART volunteers have been talking to parents and caregivers about secure firearm storage at festive events across the country all month.

Talking about how and where guns are stored in their home doesn’t have to be scary! We’ve made it easy: https://etwn.us/47wsSrs
October 31, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Gun thefts from vehicles are the largest source of stolen guns. Storing guns securely in cars is essential to protecting your communities, your family, and yourself.

Learn more about why—and how—firearms should be secured in vehicles: https://etwn.us/4785Oz0
Secure Gun Storage in Cars | Be SMART
Adapted from Gun Thefts from Cars: The Largest Source of Stolen Guns In the United States, the majority of gun homicides and assaults involve stolen or Cars parked at residences are the most common so...
etwn.us
October 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Our Alaska Be SMART volunteers encourage secure firearm storage that takes into account Alaska's unique relationship with firearm ownership.

Read more about their incredible work here: https://etwn.us/4nGJkwc #besmart
Spreading the Be SMART Message in Alaska: ‘If We Can Prevent Even One Child Death, Then It Is Our Responsibility to Do So’
Gun ownership in Alaska is deeply intertwined with family, tradition, and a sense of protection. It is possible to balance hunting and gun ownership traditions with keeping kids and loved ones safe.
etwn.us
October 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Recognizing the role of guns in suicide is critical, and it’s clear that means matter―among commonly used methods of self-harm, firearms are by far the most lethal.

Removing access to firearms is the one of the most important interventions adults can take to prevent suicide by children and teens.
September 29, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Research shows that an overwhelming majority of child firearm suicides take place in or around a home, and nearly 80% of these incidents involve a gun belonging to a family member.
September 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Be SMART for Kids
The onus is on ADULTS to ensure children don’t access firearms. Be SMART for Kids: Assume curious children can and will find guns and store them unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

Learn more about the importance of secure gun storage at besmartforkids.org.
Be SMART | Secure Gun Storage
Be SMART raises awareness that secure gun storage — storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition — can save children’s lives. Learn more and join us.
besmartforkids.org
September 22, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Reposted by Be SMART for Kids
You read that right—a FIRST GRADER is facing a YEAR-LONG suspension for bringing a gun to school. No mention of who the gun belonged to or how the child gained access to it.
First grader suspended for bringing gun to school, officials say
A first-grade student has been suspended after a handgun was found in his possession Thursday at Pembroke Elementary School.
wpde.com
September 22, 2025 at 12:10 AM
School, relationships, anxiety, depression, and social media are just some of the stressors young people experience today.
September 18, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Our Maryland Be SMART volunteers on the Eastern Shore have been collaborating with various departments of health to spread the life-saving message of secure firearm storage.
September 17, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Guns are the number one killer of children in the US. What you may not know is that nearly one-third of child gun deaths are suicides, and over the past decade, the firearm suicide rate among young people has increased faster than among any other age group.
September 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM
More than 700 children under 18 living in the US die by gun suicide every year. The dynamics of suicide are complex, but one thing is clear: Easy access to a gun can make the difference between life and death.
September 8, 2025 at 1:01 PM
As the mother of two students who survived a school shooting, Emily Schiltz knows all too well the lasting impact a school shooting has on a family and a community.

She and others volunteers planned a week of events during SMART Week to spread the word about the importance of secure gun storage.
September 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Be SMART Visionaries exemplify the very best of what the program stands for. They have reached new members of their communities, developed innovative approaches to education and outreach, and embedded Be SMART as a foundational value where they live and lead.
September 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Thanks to everyone for making SMART Week a success! Over 1000 volunteers in 43 states came out to more than 500 #BeSMART events across the US, and advocates and partners at the local, state, & national levels teamed up to help us spread awareness about the critical importance of secure gun storage.
September 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM