Jake’s Lost Life: Gun Safety is #1 – for ALL Hunters, for ALL Ages

Remember that Gun Safety is #1 at ALL TIMES. James Monteleone photo

  • With a profound passion, Jake loved to hunt for deer, turkey, waterfowl.
  • Does a deep passion for hunting and familiarity with firearms contribute to a lack of discipline for firearm safety? Keep safety rules in mind….always.
  • Shooting a firearm MUST INCLUDE THE COURAGE  TO CORRECT A FRIEND for any lack of gun safety: Where are the bullets? Where is the gun pointed?  
  • Read, learn, share with others – GUN SAFETY FIRST!

By James Monteleone

Jake, to my immediate left, was interested in the outdoors and hunting from a very early age. 

Dear Mr. Average Teenager – I turkey hunted once with a kid named Jake. Yes, I know there is a strange connection to the young hunter’s name and a young turkey. Jake’s real name is Jacob, and other than Jake, he is called “Spud” by those in his close circle of family and friends. I was introduced to Jake by a friend, and our paths crossed when I was co-hosting a Youth Day seminar. It was easy to see that Jake had the benefit of some good instructions when it came to using a friction call. His notes and cadence on both a box call and a slate call were better than the average man, much less a young teen.
The day we hunted was pretty ordinary as turkey hunting days go. Chuck Tiranno (my friend) and Jake headed down to the far end of a long field. I split off to the left to cover a long stretch of woods that bordered the same field. There was some gobbling from my left and I was set up in a great place to intercept the birds as they closed in on my position. I called in and saw four “jakes” that morning. They did their usual hard-gobbling routine and put on a little show for the decoy, but they were not my intended target that morning.
After 8am, I heard three shots coming from the spot where Jake and Chuck had set up. The timing of the shots led me to believe that someone may have missed. When we met up at about 9am, I found out that Jake had, in fact, killed one of several birds that came in to his calling. His shots were an attempt to anchor the bird that was a little farther out than the effective range of his shotgun. Chuck, who lives across the street from Jake, has been a mentor to Jake and wasted no time putting the teenager in his place for shooting at what he considered an extreme distance.
Jake, who developed a proficiency for trap shooting and archery hunting for deer, loved waterfowl and turkey hunting too. His ability to call in ducks, geese and turkeys gave him a unique ranking within his peer group and allowed him to compete with adults in pursuing these sports. Chuck always insists on youths like Jake patterning and sighting in their firearms. In addition to these steps, Chuck stresses the need for practice and safety. These are all part of the collaborative effort on which we focus during Youth Day seminars and lectures to all age groups.
In some ways, Jake is just an average 15-year-old boy. Although his hunting and shooting abilities are comparable to an adult level of participation, he, like many 15-year-olds, thinks he is a “top dog”. I think it’s great when a youth has an outlet for his energy and takes an interest in the outdoors. Jake won’t see his 16th birthday. Jake won’t be out for the deer season, and we will never know what Jake may have been able to offer the youth of future generations.
Jake lost his life to a terrible accident. Not an accident that you would have foreseen in his future. He died due to a gunshot wound that came while he and a friend were handling a gun before a waterfowl hunt. The other details are not necessary. But these young men have been drilled at almost every opportunity in the safe handling of firearms. I will not speculate as to the actual events other than to state the obvious. If you question why I would state the obvious, then think about what any and all of us could do to avoid situations like this in the future.
It’s too late for Jake. It’s not too late for the rest of us to take a lesson from a situation where a young boy who grew up around guns may have failed to take charge of a situation where his friend was not being safe. There was an adult in the home when the accident occurred. Could there have been a stricter approach to the firearms being handled that day? Of course, we can all use hindsight to say “Yes” emphatically. But that time has passed, and we need to honor Jake’s memory and the other people who have lost their lives in firearm-related mishaps. How do we honor those people?
We never miss a chance to reinforce the need for safety in handling guns and other weapons. Those basic rules like “treat every firearm like it’s loaded” and “always point the muzzle in a safe direction” and “be sure of your intended target” and “supervise all young and new shooters in the use of firearms.”

When more than one hunter is in a group, firearm safety becomes the ultimate consideration. Muzzle direction, chamber open, safety position. National Shooting Sports Foundation Photo

This has been difficult for the parents, Jake’s young friend and the community in general. I saw and heard the grief yesterday as I stood in front of the casket of a 15-year-old boy. He was dressed in camouflage, and the pictures displayed at the entrance showed a young man with a passion for the outdoors. He posed with his turkeys, some geese and several of the deer he had taken. The pride of competing in a man’s game and winning was etched on his face. Ironically, Jake had taken a deer with his bow only days before this tragedy took place.
Having had Jake as one of the participants in my presentation at the Youth Day seminars and seeing him in death was a painful reminder that nothing should be taken for granted no matter how many times we preach the safe handling of firearms. We cannot over-emphasize safety. No one is invincible or immune from a lapse in judgment. Don’t be embarrassed to remind people (and insist if necessary) that safety is an absolute part of our sport. It doesn’t matter how long you have hunted or how proficient and knowledgeable you are about firearms. Danger doesn’t take a day off. Yes, people can be dangerous; guns are only a part of the equation.
Put safety first. I have said to Jake and many others, “There is no deer, turkey, elk, bear or any other animal that is more important than coming home safely.” We all stress that “you can’t take a bullet back once it’s fired. You have lost any control that you have over the outcome of that shot once you pull the trigger”.

Hunt in pairs to stay safe, but always remember that guns are dangerous when safety rules are taken for granted. National Sports Shooting Foundation Photo.

There are no “do-overs” where guns are concerned. I doubt that anyone among us has not witnessed the poor and unsafe handling of firearms. Are you embarrassed to remind the offender of his duties to protect himself and others? Jake’s parents wish someone would have done that for him. If you appreciate this reminder, don’t thank me, thank Jake. He gave up his life to a lapse in judgment. His father said to me yesterday, “I hope something good can come from this,” and I told him then, “We have to be Jake’s voice now”. That’s my objective in writing this the day Jake will be buried. I want to be Jake’s voice. Not just today, but every day when there is a firearm present.
Will you join me and honor Jake by being his voice? It’s so much more important than “Good Hunting and Great Memories.”

From my friend, Tony TirannoMay Jake rest in peace.  I pledge to be “Jake’s Voice”.

THE 12 GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN HANDLING:

  • Always treat the gun as if it is loaded.
  • Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
  • Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
  • Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
  • Never point the gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
  • Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
  • Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
  • Always use proper ammunition.
  • Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
  • If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds, then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
  • Don’t rely on the gun’s mechanical safety to keep it from firing.
  • Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don’t trip, lose your balance or accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.

“PROTECT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE” – FIREARM SAFETY IS #1

  • New Video Urges Families to “Have the Talk” About Gun Safety
  • Own it. Respect it. Secure it.
  • Talk with your Kids. Do it TODAY.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) unveiled a new public service announcement (PSA), “Protect the People You Love,” to encourage families to talk about gun safety — regardless of whether they have a gun in the home.
The PSA, which is viewable and downloadable on the Project ChildSafe® website in time for National Safety Month this June, focuses on the false assumptions that children are unaware of firearms in the home or know not to touch them without permission. The 30-second spot emphasizes how families can help prevent firearms accidents by talking about gun safety with children. Further, storing firearms responsibly addresses the issue that many children are often familiar with where and how firearms are stored — much more than parents might think.
“Parents and caregivers talk to kids about big issues like drugs, sex and alcohol; we need to talk to our kids about gun safety as well. Even if you don’t own a gun yourself, having this conversation is vital,” said BJA Director Jon Adler. “If you don’t have this talk with your kids, they’re going to learn about guns from someone else, whether on TV or from friends, and chances are they aren’t going to learn what you’d want to teach them.”
As more Americans continue to purchase firearms for personal protection and safety, the importance of storing them responsibly is critical. Although the number of fatal firearms accidents is at historic lows, the fact remains that these accidents are almost always preventable. Proper firearms storage helps prevent thefts, accidents and misuse, such as suicide.
“Protecting your family doesn’t stop with bringing a gun into your home, it also means doing what you need to do so a loaded gun isn’t picked up by a child or someone who may be at risk of harming themselves – or others,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “If you have a gun, be sure your family understands the safety rules, and always store it responsibly when not in use. That’s the best way to protect the people you love.”
To further help parents in having the important conversation about firearms safety, Project ChildSafe also has an instructional video, “Talking to Kids about Gun Safety,” on its website.
Funding for the PSA comes from a $2.4 million grant that BJA awarded NSSF’s Project ChildSafe initiative in 2015. Project ChildSafe provides firearms safety education messaging and free gun locks to communities throughout the country in an effort to help reduce firearms accidents, theft and misuse.

  About Project ChildSafe: NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. 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 NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms 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.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-FG-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program Reaches 30 Million Children

This simple Eddie Eagle GunSafe® lesson can save a child’s life.  From the NRA, please PASS IT ON! Courtesy www.EddieEagle.com

FAIRFAX, Va. – The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, NRA’s groundbreaking gun accident prevention course for children, has achieved another milestone by reaching its 30 millionth child.

Created in 1988 by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with elementary school teachers, law enforcement officers and child psychologists, the program provides pre-K through fourth grade children with simple, effective rules to follow should they encounter a firearm in an unsupervised setting: “If you see a gun: STOP! Don’t Touch. Run Away. Tell a Grown-Up.”

Volunteers for the Eddie Eagle program come from diverse backgrounds, but they share a commitment to keeping children safe. Those involved include NRA members, teachers, law enforcement officers and community activists who teach the program, as well as private donors and Friends of NRA volunteers who raise funds to provide the program’s educational materials.

More than 26,000 educators, law enforcement agencies, and civic organizations have taught the program since 1988. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, incidental firearm-related deaths among children in Eddie Eagle’s targeted age group have declined more than 80 percent since the program’s launch.

The Eddie Eagle program has been praised by numerous groups and elected officials, including the Association of American Educators, the Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. Department of Justice (through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency), and 26 state governors.

Law enforcement partnerships with Eddie Eagle have proven to be very effective. In fact, almost 400 Eddie Eagle mascot costumes are in use by law enforcement officers across the county. NRA also offers free Eddie Eagle materials to any law enforcement agency, educational facility, hospital, or library across the nation.

Funds raised through Friends of NRA and distributed through The NRA Foundation enable schools and police departments to teach the program at little or no cost. The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun accident prevention awareness within their local communities.

Schools, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and others interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, or persons who wish to see if free materials are available in their communities, should email the NRA Community Outreach Department at eddie@nrahq.org or visit www.eddieeagle.com.

About the National Rifle Association: Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit http://www.nra.org.

Does your child know what to do if he or she finds a gun?

gunsafety1

“STOP! Don’t Touch. Run Away. Tell a Grown-up.”

The MAIN MESSAGE is SAFETY.  A gun accident prevention program that seeks to help parents, law enforcement, community groups and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety is often ignored by schools for reasons unknown.  But the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is on a mission to help parents and educators teach Pre-K through 4th graders what to do if they ever come across a gun.  The program is documented in cartoon fashion and kids soon learn that Eddie and his Wing Team are all about safety and protecting them from a gun mishap.

Kids learn and remember these four things:

STOP!

This first step is crucial. Stopping first allows your child the time he or she needs to remember the rest of the safety instructions.

Don’t Touch

A firearm that is not touched or disturbed is unlikely to be fired and otherwise endanger your child or other people.

Run Away

This removes the temptation to touch the firearm as well as the danger that another person may negligently cause it to fire.

Tell A Grown-up

Children should seek a trustworthy adult, neighbor, relative or teacher – if a parent or guardian is not available.

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Kids Should Watch the Eddie Eagle Video

Eddie and the Wing Team deliver this important message in this 8-minute long video, newly released in spring 2015.  In the video, the Wing Team encounters a gun in a place they didn’t expect.  Eddie helps his friends remember how to stay safe by singing his favorite song.  Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho36vonT3Rw.

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program doesn’t teach parents about guns, but it does teach parents about gun safety and how to relay that information to their kids correctly in a method that’s really memorable to kids.  It’s the gun equivalent of stop, drop and roll.  Be sure your kids know it well enough to recite it.

Dr. Lisa Monroe, early childhood education specialist, says, “A teacher knows their students best.  And they can look at the curriculum and decide what activities would best fit their group of students.  So it’s not necessarily a canned curriculum that you must do X, Y and Z.  It gives the teachers the autonomy and flexibility to choose what they know to be best for their particular group of students.”

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Message for Educators:

Dr. Lisa Monroe believes in the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program and its message and offers some advice to educators who may have any reservations or uncertainties about introducing Eddie to their schools. “I would say to a superintendent or school administrator that this program is absolutely appropriate for their schools and their children because it’s about safety,” says Dr. Monroe.  Instructors and administrators can review her message direct at: https://eddieeagle.nra.org/testimonials/about-eddie-eagle-gunsafe/a-message-for-educators/.

Parents agree that the most important priority when teaching gun safety is really knowing your kids, having an open dialogue with them and knowing where they are –emotionally, in their friends and what their interests are.

FREE Eddie Eagle Program Materials:

Program curriculum materials and retail items are designed for children in Pre-K through Fourth grade. Eddie Eagle staff recommends one Activity Book, Sticker, and Parent’s Guide To Gun Safety per student as well as a Parent/Instructor Guide, Safety Poster and DVD for every instructor, school or home.  Note that law enforcement agencies, schools, hospitals, daycare centers, or libraries that wish to utilize our grant funding program can receive FREE program materials. At this link:

https://eddieeagle.nra.org/program-resources/program-materials/

Grant Funding:

Grant funding is available for schools, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, daycare centers and libraries interested in bringing Eddie Eagle to children in their area. Obtaining these funds is easy and hassle free – there is no application or paperwork to complete. Funding can provide FREE Kids Activity Books, Instructor Guides, DVDs, parent’s brochures, reward stickers and posters. Additionally, law enforcement agencies may be eligible to receive grant funding for the Eddie Eagle Mascot Costume.

If you are with one of these groups and wish to place an order please email eddie@nrahq.org or call 1-800-231-0752.

These grants are made possible by the generosity of donations from the Friends of NRA program. Friends of NRA includes dedicated volunteers who work with NRA field representatives in their respective states to organize fundraising events that support NRA vital programs.

Tips to Remember

  • Funding is provided on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Determine which materials are needed and the quantities you would like to order before contacting.
  • Orders must be placed with a street shipping address, no PO Boxes please.
  • Allow at least three weeks (15 business days) for ordered materials to arrive.
  • Grant funding does not cover the cost of retail items.
  • Eddie Eagle staff reviews all orders before shipment, and reserves the right to limit the quantity of items ordered.

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is a gun accident prevention program developed by a task force made up of educators, school administrators, curriculum specialists, urban housing safety officials, clinical psychologists, law enforcement officials and National Rifle Association firearm safety experts.  It began in 1988 with one mission: teach children four simple, easy to remember steps so they know what to do if they ever come across a gun.  In 2015 the NRA introduced a fresh, new Eddie and added some friends—his Wing Team.  Though Eddie has evolved, his mission has not. In the brand new video, Eddie and his friends remind children that if they see a gun, they need to Stop!  Don’t touch.  Run away.  Tell a grown-up.

Schools and parents talk about stranger danger, internet safety, fire drills and more with children…so why not include gun safety?  The program makes no value judgments about firearms, no firearms are ever used, and it covers an important topic that needs to be addressed with kids.  Like swimming pools, electrical outlets and matchbooks, firearms are simply treated as a part of everyday life.  With firearms found in about half of all American households, it’s a stance that makes sense.

Eddie Eagle GunSafe® is the number one gun accident prevention program for children and has taught over 28 million children how to stay safe if they ever find a gun.

All photographs and illustrations, including all programs and referenced program details, are credit to the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Learning Safe Use of Firearms

cmp1Where is there a better place to learn about firearms than from a government-mandated program that is comprised of certified instructors proficient and familiar with safety, competition and clear communication?  Hard to match that.  The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a national organization dedicated to training and educating United States citizens for responsible use of firearms and air guns through gun safety training, marksmanship training and certified competitions.

The CMP is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and building life skills.

The program was created when a federal law was enacted in 1996 (Title 36 U. S. Code, 40701-40733) that created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS, the formal legal name of the CMP), that mandates these key “functions for the corporation:

  1. To instruct citizens of the United States in marksmanship
  2. To promote practice and safety in the use of firearms
  3. To conduct competitions in the use of firearms and to award trophies, prizes, badges, and other insignia to competitors.

cmp2The law specifically states: “In carrying out the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the corporation shall give priority to activities that benefit firearms safety, training, and competition for youth and that reach as many youth participants as possible.

Competitive marksmanship is a big part of CMP mission to reinforce firearms safety and enable competitors to further develop their marksmanship skills and in many cases, earn recognition for doing so.  In the information that follows you’ll find news and descriptions of upcoming matches, how to enter them and more information on course of fire and what you can expect from your participation.

If you’re new to competitive shooting, CMP and its affiliated clubs and organizations continually sponsor clinics and workshops to help get you up to speed. We highly recommend participating in the CMP – USAMU Small Arms Firing School for pistol and/or rifle during the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. By completing our one or two-day schools, you will learn the fundamentals of firearms safety and marksmanship.

Anyone interested in learning more about this great program may feel free to contact CMP with questions by email at competitions@thecmp.org, on the web at: http://thecmp.org/ or by phone at (419) 635-2141 ext. 706 or 714.