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Local nonprofit offers free gun locks, urges Be SMART safe-storage program in Radford schools
Summary
Presenters from the Gun Aware Project described a Be SMART safe-storage initiative, reported distribution of gun locks and asked the school board to support outreach to parents on secure firearm storage and suicide prevention.
Nick and Karen Fisher, founders of the Gun Aware Project, asked the Radford City School Board to support promotion of the Be SMART safe-storage program and described free lock distribution and outreach already under way in the region.
The Fishers said their nonprofit has distributed “more than 1,000 gun locks” in neighboring Montgomery County and will provide locks and informational materials to Radford at no cost. Karen Fisher told the board, “We give them away free,” and said their outreach focuses on adults — modeling safe storage in homes and vehicles, asking hosts about firearms when children visit, and recognizing the role of firearms in suicide prevention.
The nut graf: The Fishers framed the program as a pragmatic, nonpartisan safety campaign aimed at preventing accidental shootings and suicides by encouraging parents and caregivers to secure firearms and to ask about firearms in other households. They offered to cover program costs and requested the board’s help publicizing the resources through school channels.
They reviewed core Be SMART messages: Model safe behavior, Secure firearms, Ask about guns in other homes, Recognize the role of firearms in suicide, and Tell (encourage others to be smart). Karen Fisher cited national statistics during the presentation and emphasized impulsive suicide risk among teens, noting that firearms are more likely to result in death than other methods.
Board members asked operational questions and expressed interest in continued conversation. A board member with a rural background described firearms as “one of the many tools in the toolbox,” but noted the Fishers’ emphasis on responsibility. The Fishers said a recent substantial donation from NRV Women Who Care funded further distribution and that their nonprofit would cover any costs to provide locks and Be SMART information to Radford.
Ending: Board members thanked the presenters and several said they would follow up to discuss training and community delivery methods. The presentation was informational; the board did not record a formal adoption of a districtwide Be SMART policy at the meeting.
