What Does it Mean to Be SMART?

Secure all firearms in your home and vehicles.

A father and child laugh while relaxing on a couch

Model responsible behavior around firearms

A woman sits at a desk with sticky notes and a notepad and looks through her phone

Ask about the presence of unsecured firearms in other homes

A mother and son sit on a couch and both look at the screen of a tablet

Recognize the role of firearms in suicide

Two women sitting at a table inside a cafe are chatting and having tea.

Tell your peers to be
S-M-A-R-T

Secure firearm storage is an important part of keeping your family safe.

Firearms are now the leading cause of death among children in the United States. That’s why it’s more important than ever for parents and caregivers to know how secure firearm storage works. It’s simple. To help keep your family safe and prevent tragedies, it’s crucial to secure your firearm.

What is Be SMART?

The Be SMART campaign was launched in 2015 to promote responsible gun ownership in order to reduce child gun deaths. Whether you’re a gun owner, or you know someone who owns a gun, there is a role for everyone in the conversation around secure gun storage. Be SMART is a framework that parents, caretakers, and community leaders can follow to help keep their communities safe. Ultimately, you can help prevent kids from accessing firearms by storing them securely, and encouraging others to do the same. Because children deserve to feel safe, no matter where they are.

Here’s how to Be SMART:

S

Secure

Secure all guns in your home and vehicles

M

Model

Model responsible behavior around guns

A

Ask

Ask about unsecured guns in other homes

R

Recognize

Recognize the role of guns in suicide

T

Tell

Tell your peers to Be SMART

Spread the Word

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Interactive Q & A

Get answers about secure storage and gun safety

Q: Gun sales have spiked in recent years. How many children currently live in a home with an unsecured weapon?

See Answer

A: 4.6 million children currently live in a home with at least one gun is stored loaded and unlocked.

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Q: What is the best type of secure gun storage for my firearms?

See Answer

A: The best type of secure gun storage is the type that you’ll use consistently, that will keep your guns inaccessible to kids & unauthorized users. Explore secure gun storage.

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Q: How can I get more information on bringing a Be SMART presentation to my local area?

See Answer

A: Thousands of Be SMART volunteers are available to share presentations and resources to local communities. Contact us or text 64433 to get in touch.

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Q: How many students attend K-12 schools that require households to receive information about secure gun storage?

See Answer

A: At least 8.6 million students across the US attend schools that require distribution about secure gun storage to all households. Learn more about Be SMART in schools.

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Q: Very young children aren’t strong enough to pull the trigger on a gun, are they?

See Answer

A: Yes, they are. Children as young as toddlers can—and have—pulled the trigger on a gun, too often resulting in death or serious injury. Learn more here.

See Question

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Explore Be Smart

Yellow collage of locks, safes, and gun lockers.