September 8, 2020
NEWTOWN, Conn., September 8, 2020 – As suicide prevention groups mark Suicide Prevention Month by calling for prevention to become a national priority[1] during the COVID-19 pandemic, the firearm industry is supporting that effort by educating the public – particularly the gun-owning community, including veterans and their families – on how storing firearms responsibly and simply talking to loved ones can mean the difference between a life saved and a tragedy.
“It is a fact that suicide is preventable, and securing firearms is one of the most important steps gun owners can take to protect those at risk of suicide,” said Joe Bartozzi, National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) President and CEO.
NSSF, the firearm industry trade association, has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) since 2016. Recognizing that nearly two-thirds of all firearms deaths are suicides and that half of all suicides in the U.S. are by firearm, NSSF took action by partnering with experts in the suicide prevention field. Around the same time, AFSP launched “Project 2025,” which seeks to reduce the rate of suicide by focusing on primary care settings, emergency departments, the gun owning community[2] and correction systems.
As COVID-19 continues to elevate levels of stress, anxiety and uncertainty, NSSF is also marking Suicide Prevention Month by sharing educational resources for gun owners and veterans:
- Through Project ChildSafe[3]®, its firearm safety educational program, NSSF has partnered with former US Army infantryman Omar Avila, who was awarded the Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge for his service during the Iraq War in 2004. As a motivational storyteller, Paralympic powerlifter and hunting enthusiast, Avila is a prominent figure in the veteran community with more than 300,000 followers
