Washington, D.C., January 25, 2024 — Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new executive actions to promote the safe storage of firearms. The executive actions come after Brady, the leading gun violence prevention organization, recommended that the U.S. Department of Justice issue guidance on safe storage and that the U.S. Department of Education engage principals and school leaders on the issue, the latter inspired by similar school-based efforts launched by Brady grassroots activists beginning over a decade ago. Brady also works to increase safe storage through its award-winning End Family Fire public education program, a partnership with the Ad Council that has proven successful in empowering gun owners to store their firearms safely to reduce preventable firearm deaths.
Kris Brown, President of Brady, said:
“This historic and life-saving announcement from the White House addresses one of the root causes of our country’s gun violence epidemic: unsecured firearms. In America, 65% of gun owners have at least one unlocked firearm, which can lead to devastating outcomes, especially for children. We deeply appreciate the Biden Administration’s commitment to gun violence prevention from day one, and this announcement is another example of this unwavering commitment.
“In a country with more guns than people, changing our cultural practices and attitudes to uphold responsible gun ownership is crucial. Gun violence is the number one cause of death for children in this country – but it doesn’t have to be that way. These sensible solutions to engage, empower, and educate our communities about the importance of storing guns safely will save countless lives. I am particularly grateful for the Brady grassroots leaders in California and across the country whose activism to promote safe storage education in their local communities and school districts helped inspire this action. We look forward to working with the White House to continue to reduce this crisis and promote everyday solutions.
“While these executive actions are deeply impactful, we are still in urgent need of Congressional action to address the gun violence epidemic by passing common-sense gun laws."
About End Family Fire
End Family Fire, a national public education effort from Brady and the Ad Council, encourages safe gun storage by putting a name to the preventable tragedies that occur when guns in the home are misused. "Family fire," a term developed for the campaign, refers to a shooting caused by someone having access to a gun from the home when they shouldn't have it. Since End Family Fire launched in 2018, its nationally syndicated public service announcements (PSAs) on safe firearm storage have been viewed over 1 billion times, with a particular focus given to gun-owning households, veterans, those at risk of gun suicide, and other impacted communities. The campaign aims to bring awareness to the issue of family fire, give gun owners a role in gun violence prevention, and encourage a national dialogue around safe storage practices—all of which can help prevent tragedies of family fire.
End Family Fire (then known as the ASK campaign) was rated the only effective national safe storage education effort by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in an analysis that included programs from notable gun organizations across the country.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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