Houston officials launched a program May 14 offering free gun safes and locks for residents as part of its new distribution program.
What it means
Council member Abbie Kamin and the Houston Health Department launched a program that will offer free safety locks and provide free educational resources.
The program is intended to help prevent unintentional firearm injuries and will launch at three Houston Health Department centers in areas that have high rates of injuries, according to HHD. Those locations are:
- Sunnyside
- Northside
- Sharpstown
The program will also partner with pediatric offices and healthcare providers to expand distribution and education efforts. Residents interested in receiving resources can go to one of the three locations.
“By partnering with trusted healthcare providers and community health centers, we are getting lifesaving resources directly into the hands of families to prevent tragedy before it happens,” Kamin said.
How it works
The program is under SafeWatch Houston, a dashboard that tracks firearm injuries and uses Level I trauma center clinical data, emergency response systems and other resources to provide information for the dashboard.
“Firearm injuries involving children, injuries that are a worst nightmare for parents, are happening far too often,” Kamin said in a statement. “We’ve got to stop being reactive and be proactive when it comes to firearm injuries and deaths.”
Kamin added that spikes tend to happen during the summer.
