BEING SMART TOGETHER

BESMART group educates mid-michigan communities about safe gun storage

BESMART raises awareness around the mid-michigan area to the dangers of unsecured guns.

The national program intends to educate people about safely storing guns away in order to keep children safe. The program advocates for adults to lock their guns away and separating ammunition away from the guns within their homes and vehicles.

“Each year in the U.S. nearly 350 children ages 17 and under gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else,” Kristin Sheridan, one of the people working with BESMART, said. “Every year nearly 700 children, 17 and under, die by suicide with a gun. Adults can change this by insuring that our own guns are secured in our homes and vehicles and asking about unsecured guns in the homes our children visit. It is the responsibility of adults to make sure that guns are secured safely: which means locked, unloaded, and with ammunition stored separately.”

BESMART has made efforts to educate communities like Mount Pleasant and Midland through having tables set up at farmer’s markets and other local events, presenting power points for different organizations and government entities, and making informational handouts available with the authorities.

“BESMART volunteers are always looking for ways to get our message out and public schools are one option we are exploring,” Sheridan said.

The efforts of BESMART’S message are being more heavily considered with the recent Oxford school shooting.

“The recent Oxford school shooting, as school shootings always do, have raised awareness of the tragedy that results when someone who should not have access to a firearm, gains access,” Sheridan said. “The sad fact is that children in this country are injured or die daily because they have accessed a gun. All of these deaths are tragic and unnecessary.

“When public attention is particularly focused on the issue, like now, our volunteers reach out to schools and com

munities with our message during a particularly teachable moment. Our message

is a positive one. Adults can stop needless tragedies through secure gun storage.”

Gun owners and non-gun owners have been receptive to BESMART’S message.

“Most gun owners we talk to are emphatic that safe gun storage is a high priority for them,” Sheridan said. “Interestingly, the part of our message that takes many people by surprise is the notion of inquiring

about safe gun storage in other people’s homes (relatives, friends, etc.) where their children might spend time.”

JAKE MAY — THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP Vanessa Labrie holds onto her two children, Kiersteyn Fields, 10, and her brother Landon Baker, 8, as they stand in their yard up the road from Oxford High School in Oxford. Gun safety is getting renewed focus following in the wake of the deadliest U.S. school shooting since 2018. For instance, a national program called BESMART intends to educate people about safely storing guns away in order to keep children safe.

COURTESY PHOTO Volunteer Debra Smilo and Kristin Sheridan tabling at the Farmer’s Market in Midland for BESMART.