When Was the Last Time You Assessed the Safety of Your Home?

I’ve spent most of my career working directly with people in crisis. For people in a substance use and/or suicide crisis- one of the most common topics we discussed was access to firearms and other lethal means.

I fully appreciate that firearms are a core part of the military’s ability to provide the national defense we all treasure and therefore are part of the culture of military and veteran communities. I have also witnessed how suicidal thoughts can come fast and strong - and pass: most people who experience these thoughts don’t act on the thoughts and survive. Time and space between those thoughts and having quick access to lethal means, especially firearms, has been the difference between life and death for many.

One person I worked with asked his buddy to come over and temporarily store his firearms when he was struggling - we both thought it saved his life. Another person shared how she wished she knew that her loved one who died by suicide had owned firearms so she could have offered to help or temporarily store their firearms. I’ve had countless discussions with people in the midst of emotional, physical and/or spiritual pain. My goal was to instill hope, assess their crisis, encourage evidence-based treatments and establish a safety plan they could use at home and share with their loved ones. But how could we take actions before a crisis hits a breaking point?

I always felt that having a home safety plan was essential to not only protect families from an outside threat, but also protect ourselves and our families from a more likely threat - a crisis within our homes.

Assuring that your family and home is protected is the top reason service members, Veterans and civilians, cite for owning firearms (https://rly.pt/ReasonsforOwningFirearms). Most often gun owners are concerned about a potential outside threat and want to have quick access to firearms (https://rly.pt/PersonalFirearmsStorage). Establishing a home safety plan is essential for any gun owner to assure that their firearms are securely stored and not at risk of unauthorized access. Creating and sharing a home safety plan with friends and family can also assure that gun owners are protecting their homes from in-home threats including accidental access by kids to prevent injury and even suicide.

Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and youth (https://rly.pt/FirearmsInjuries) and the leading cause of firearm related deaths in the United States is suicide (https://rly.pt/FirearmsDeaths). There is disproportionate suicide risk for specific people including those living in a home with firearms , service members, Veterans, and their families (https://rly.pt/HandgunOwnershipandSuicide).

We need all gun owners to assess and reassess through establishing a home safety plan when, where, and how their firearms and any other potentially lethal means such as medications - over the counter and prescriptions - alcohol and other substances, or anything someone has thought about using to hurt themselves with in the past - are safely and securely stored.

Securely storing firearms outside the home is the strategy that can provide the most protection against the cunning problem of suicide. Understanding the options that your local and state laws (https://rly.pt/StateFirearmsLaws) is important in designing or writing your home safety plan that includes the option of temporarily securing your firearms with a trusted buddy, relative or at a local gun shop or shooting range is an important part of any home safety plan.

When storing in your home, securely storing unloaded firearms with ammunition stored securely and separately is the next best option for decreasing the risk of suicide. Storage options that have a biometric sensor assures that no one else can access the firearm such as children and youth.

Temporary, voluntary out of home storage can be important during certain times of the year, here are some examples:

1. When you or someone in your home is struggling with thoughts of suicide or have a history of a suicide attempt.

2. When you or someone in your home is using alcohol, marijuana, opioids and/or other substances – especially when there has been an increase in substance use or relapse after sobriety.

3. When you or someone in your home has recently been in the Emergency Room, inpatient treatment center or hospital.

4. When you have kids and young people in your home.

5. After a diagnosis of cancer or other new major medical condition for your or someone in your home.
6. Before an anniversary of a loss or other traumatic event.

Sharing your home safety plan with trusted loved ones and friends is important. Placing the “988 and Press 1 for Veterans 24/7" crisis hotline visibly in your home, encouraging help seeking for substance use, emotional, mental health and other needs are all additional steps to consider in your home safety plan.

Have you already created a home safety plan? Share more steps or considerations in the comments below.



*If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 988 anytime 24/7. Service members, National Guard members, Reservists, Veterans and their families should dial 988 and Press 1 to connect to the Military and Veteran Crisis Line.

More information is available at: veteranscrisisline.net