NSSF’S PROJECT CHILDSAFE, LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN PD, USCCA, BASS PRO SHOPS, AND LOCAL LEADERS ADDRESS FIREARM SAFETY, SUICIDE PREVENTION IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS — NSSF® The Firearm Industry Trade Association, the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Bass Pro Shops distributed firearm safety and suicide prevention resources, including free gun locks, at a special Fall Outdoor Sports and Firearm Safety Event today to help prevent firearm accidents, thefts and misuse, and to bolster suicide prevention efforts across the city.

“Secure storage is the number one way to help prevent unauthorized access to firearms,” said Joe Bartozzi, President and CEO of NSSF. “Since September is also Suicide Prevention Month, this is a great opportunity to talk about preventing access by at-risk individuals. We are grateful to USCCA, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Bass Pro Shops and all our local partners for joining us in this effort to save lives.”

NSSF has provided resources to support the local effort through its nationwide Project ChildSafe® initiative. Project ChildSafe encourages gun owners to secure their firearms when they’re not in use with a gun lock, lock box or other device, to store ammunition separately, and to talk with their kids about gun safety. The program has also partnered with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to make thousands of free gun locks available to residents.

“These locks and materials are available to everyone – no questions asked,” said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. “We want to encourage anyone who has a gun in their home to take the steps to store it securely and responsibly when not in use. It really can make our community safer and help save lives.”

To support suicide prevention efforts, the local effort also offers a free resource for parents focused on teen mental health and firearm storage, developed through a partnership between NSSF and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Today’s event was organized largely by representatives of USCCA, as part of a larger “Project ChildSafe Las Vegas” community campaign, with support from several local vendors, including Homeland Personal Protection, At the Ready, The Gun Store, Sheepdog Armory, Las Vegas Office of Suicide Prevention, Clark County Fire Department, Intermountain Healthcare, Movinque BBQ and Kona Ice.

“When it comes to our children and people in our homes, we want to prevent any type of firearm, especially those that are loaded, from being accessible, stolen or misused. If these firearms are left unsecured and available, that’s a tragedy waiting to happen, and it’s so easily preventable,” said Paul Martinez with USCCA.

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About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

About Project ChildSafe
NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). The program has provided more than 40 million free firearm safety kits that include a gun lock to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About The USCCA
The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) is an association of responsible, armed Americans whose members get exceptional self-defense education, lifesaving training and self-defense liability insurance, preparing them for the before, during and after of a lawful act of self-defense. The USCCA is the largest, fastest-growing self-defense association dedicated to responsible gun owners.

About Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is the largest police agency in the state of Nevada serving approximately 1.7 million residents and 32-million visitors a year. The agency employs 4,700 police employees and 1,300 detention employees. LVMPD is committed to our mission to protect the community through prevention, partnership and professional service. That commitment and dedication extends to the millions of visitors that Las Vegas plays host to each year.

About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”