Weapon Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility
Simple Reminders to Keep our Homes and Community Safe
Whether it is guns, knives, pepper spray, or other weapons, we have a shared responsibility to make sure that they never get into the hands of the wrong people – especially children. We want to ensure that everyone is kept safe and take the responsibility of owning weapons and firearms seriously.
Taking safety seriously can save a life!
Secure weapon and firearm storage reduces unintentional injuries and death to children.
- Sadly, it is reported that approximately 350 children nationwide unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else when they have access to an unsecured loaded firearm.
- Not only is access to weapons and firearms dangerous, but it is also against the law!
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office School Safety Division provides safety education in our schools, which includes Weapons Safety.
- In this curriculum, students are taught how to make safe and appropriate decisions regarding weapons.
- They are reminded to: STOP, DON’T TOUCH, RUN AWAY, and TELL A TRUSTED ADULT.
- Treat any weapon as if it were real.
- Students are reminded that weapons in video games are different from real ones.
- NEVER remove the orange tip placed on any toy or BB gun.
Parents and Guardians have an important part to play in weapon safety and education, too.
- Parents and guardians are reminded to have age-appropriate conversations about firearms and weapons with their children. These conversations should occur regularly, and not just one time.
- Remind children never to touch a gun or a weapon, even if they think it may be a toy, and that if they see one, they should ALWAYS tell a trusted adult immediately.
- Older children should be reminded that it is best to remove themselves from any situation where they have access to an unsecured firearm or weapon.
- Remind students that every firearm should be treated as if it is LOADED; never take someone’s word that it isn’t.
Students Should Be Reminded: If they See Something, they should Say Something.
Did you know?
State law requires that firearm owners who know or reasonably should know that a person under the age of 16 is likely to gain access to the firearm without lawful permission
must:
- keep the firearm in a securely locked box or container;
- keep the firearm in a location which a reasonable person would consider to be secure, or
- secure the firearm with a trigger lock.
- In Florida, a violation of this statute is illegal and is a second-degree misdemeanor.
(The Statute in its entirety can be accessed at Florida State Statute 790.174)
Additional Resources (Information contained within these resources is not necessarily endorsed or supported by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office; they are listed to provide additional information and/or resources.)
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has gun locks and safe storage education available at NO COST (subject to availability) for Seminole County residents.
To request a free lock, contact CrimePrevention@seminolesheriff.org
Last Revised: August 2022