GUN SAFETY STARTS WITH YOU
Whether you own a gun, live with one in your home or want to play a role in gun violence prevention, explore tips and information here.
In Colorado, community can look like many different things. It can be helping someone load their bike onto their car, letting a neighbor borrow a tool, or texting a friend to make sure they made it home safely. Preventing gun injuries and deaths is another way we can look out for one another. June is Gun …
A common question among firearm owners: “If I use my firearm often, do I really need to lock it every time?” The answer? Yes, you do. Quick-access safes open fast. Cable locks clip on in seconds. Lock boxes move with you. Skipping storage can lead to firearms being accessible to unauthorized users. Find storage options that fit …
Your sense of responsibility is what makes you a responsible gun owner in Colorado. Your daily choices set the tone: • Safety-first handling shows responsibility for your equipment and respect for those around you. • Setting up a space where you know exactly who has access and how to secure your firearms against unauthorized access. • Sharing your …
This new year, choose a safety resolution that fits your role: • If you own a gun: Keep firearms secured all times when they are not in use. • If you live with guns: Talk about storage and take a quick look at access points, especially when children are around. We all have a role to play for …
Our refreshed website is live, with a new look and easier ways to find what matters to you. Built for gun owners, their families, professionals, and the wider community, the website knows most Coloradans already practice responsible gun safety and offers simple ways to strengthen it. Visit LetsTalkGunsColorado.com to find secure storage tips, conversation guidance, clear facts, …
Planning to gift a firearm this holiday? Here’s what to know: Make sure the recipient is legally able to own a firearm. Gifting across state lines? The transfer must go through a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) in the recipient's state. Include essential safety tools: ear/eye protection, a quality lock box or safe, or, best of …
Youth Violence Prevention Week is celebrated each Spring, an important reminder that protecting children is everyone's responsibility. If you have guns at home, always store them unloaded, locked, and out of children's reach, and talk openly with kids about gun safety. Learn more about gun storage and how to talk about guns with the people you …
For World Health Day, remember that caring for family or friends means being aware of their mental health, too. If someone close to you is struggling emotionally and may be at risk of harming themselves or others, you can help by temporarily preventing their access to firearms. If you're concerned about someone's safety: 1. Talk to …
Designs vary when it comes to a firearm’s safety mechanism. Some use a red dot, while others use letters or symbols, sometimes in different languages. Bottom line: Safety mechanisms are not universal, so always double-check each firearm, especially if it is new to you. Never rely solely on the gun’s safety - always handle every …
Proper firearm storage is essential for safety, yet some myths can lead to unintended risks. Here’s the reality: Myth #1: Secure storage is too costly or inconvenient. Reality: Quick-access safes are affordable and open in seconds. Myth #2: Placing guns on a high shelf or hiding them without proper storage keeps them safe. Reality: Unintentional users like children or …
If you’re not ready to pull the trigger or your sights are not on your target, keep your finger off the trigger. Extend your index finger on the slide or frame of the gun, as high you can and away from the trigger guard. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire is …
In a high-risk moment when someone is at risk of harming themselves or others, creating time and distance can save lives. An Extreme Risk Protection Order can help make that possible by temporarily removing access to firearms so that someone can get the help and support they need.
Learn more about ERPOs https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/extreme-risk-protection-orders/.
When someone shows signs of harming themselves or others, an Extreme Risk Protection Order may help prevent tragedy.
If someone is showing extreme emotional distress, acting recklessly with a firearm, or escalating threats, it may be time to consider additional safety measures.
An Extreme Risk Protection Order can temporarily pause firearm access during a crisis to help prevent tragedy and create time for support and recovery.
Learn how Extreme Risk Protection Orders can help save lives at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/extreme-risk-protection-orders/
If you are worried that someone may be at risk of harming themselves or others with a firearm, Colorado has tools that can help keep people safe. There are steps you can take to support someone in crisis, and an Extreme Risk Protection Order is one of the options available.
Learn more at LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/extreme-risk-protection-orders
An Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is one tool that can temporarily restrict firearm access when someone has demonstrated that they’re a risk to themself or others.
An ERPO helps handle the immediate danger by making firearms less accessible, while mental health care and crisis resources can help address what is driving the crisis.
Learn more about ERPOs at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/extreme-risk-protection-orders/.
Colorado now offers two e-learning courses on Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), tools that can help when someone poses a threat to themselves or others by having access to their firearm.
- • For health care and mental health professionals: Learn how to identify risk, understand the ERPO process, and navigate next steps. Find the course here: https://bit.ly/3KSYShQ
- • For educators and school staff: Gain guidance on recognizing warning signs, coordinating a response, and understanding ERPO filing. Course for higher education: https://bit.ly/42Neo4V Course for K–12: http://bit.ly/3IPp7VX
An Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) temporarily prevents someone in crisis from accessing firearms when they pose an immediate risk to themselves or others.
Here is why that matters: ERPOs create a temporary pause that gives individuals time to connect with mental health resources and support during a challenging moment. Learn more about ERPOs at LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/Extreme-Risk-Protection-Orders/
When firearm access is paused, there’s more room to focus on care, treatment, and safety. An Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is a temporary order that can limit access to firearms when there’s a risk of harm. Find more information at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/extreme-risk-protection-orders/
If someone is going through a crisis, creating some distance between them and their gun can give them the time and space to get the help they need. Here are some things you can do:
• Connect them to mental health support – Encourage them to call, text, or chat with 988colorado.com for free, 24/7 crisis help.
• Use safe storage options – Work together to store firearms securely at home or with a local gun shop, shooting range, or police department.
• Ask a trusted person to hold firearms – Help them find a responsible, legally-eligible person to temporarily hold their firearms.
• Consider an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) – This tool can temporarily restrict firearm access for someone in crisis.
In a crisis, taking action can help protect your loved one.
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s important to recognize how secure firearm storage can save lives.
Studies show that nearly half of suicide attempts happen within 10 minutes of a person deciding to act.
Storing your firearm in a locked container creates a vital time buffer. This delay can create enough time for a crisis to pass or for someone to seek help.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. You can confidentially call or text the 988 lifeline, or visit 988colorado.com for support.
Checking in with a friend, family member, or neighbor might not come naturally or feel easy, but it can make a meaningful difference.
If you notice someone struggling, take a second to check in. A quick text, a phone call, or just a simple “Hey, how are you doing?” the next time you see them can make a huge difference.
Use the conversation starters in this post to help guide what to say and make that first step a little easier.
For some people, asking for help can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Knowing what happens next can make that step easier.
988 is Colorado’s mental health crisis line. You can call, text, or chat 24/7 with a trained specialist who will listen, ask a few clarifying questions, and then help you brainstorm practical next steps or available resources.
Getting support early can help keep a tough moment from turning into a crisis. Learn more about how 988 works in Colorado at https://www.988colorado.com/en/what-is-988.
As a member of Colorado’s firearm community, you are a trusted voice. Use that trust to promote safety and care.
- • Start the conversation: If you are concerned about a fellow gun owner, be direct but compassionate.
- • Normalize help: Mental health care is a sign of strength, not weakness. Encourage others to seek support just as they would for a physical injury. If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available 24/7.
Call or text 988. For more ways to talk about firearms, head to LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/Collective-Responsibility/.
If a young person in your life is going through a tough time, they don’t have to do it alone. The I Matter program provides up to six free, confidential therapy sessions for all Colorado youth. Sign up at imattercolorado.org. If they need urgent help, call or text 988.
Responsible gun ownership means protecting those closest to us. If you own a gun and live with someone who may be struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, have a plan when it comes to your firearms.
• Lock firearms, keep them unloaded, and store ammo separately. Ensure that keys or safe codes are kept private if necessary to prevent a tragedy.
• For safe firearm storage during times of crisis, consider trusted friends, family, or secure locations on the out-of-home storage map linked here: https://coloradofirearmsafetycoalition.org/gun-storage-map/.
• Talking with your loved one about gun safety or their struggles can remind them they’re not alone.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, or live chat at 988Colorado.org. Find more ways to talk about guns at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/living-with-guns/
Even the strongest people need a hand sometimes. True strength comes from having each other’s backs.
Here’s what you can do:
• Ask: What’s going on? You seem off lately.
• Give full attention: Ditch scrolling through your phone, listen closely to what they are saying.
• Follow up: Check in now and then, to see how they’re doing.
• Connect them: If needed, point them toward the crisis line, 988, to get extra help.
Remember to check in on your friends and learn more on our website.
Suicidal ideation warning signs in teens can be difficult to recognize and aren’t always obvious.
Learning about changes in behavior, mood, or withdrawal can help parents and caregivers respond early. Conversations about mental health and access to support are an important part of prevention.
Explore the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention guide for parents https://afsp.org/teens-and-suicide-what-parents-should-know/.
Who taught you how to handle a firearm safely? For many people, it was a parent, grandparent, or trusted mentor who passed down lessons about respect, awareness, and safe handling.
Those lessons still matter today, especially when it comes to how firearms are stored and handled. Help pass them on to the next generation.
Firearm safety knowledge is useful, even if you don’t own a gun. Knowing how firearms should be stored securely can help you ask questions and speak up if something feels off.
That way, you are looking out for the safety of yourselves and others.
Learn more about secure storage and different types at LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/safe-gun-storage-option/.
If your child is going to visit another house, it makes sense to ask the homeowner about their firearm safe storage practices. Here are a few ways to start the conversation:
- • Tie in safe firearm storage as part of your usual safety check, alongside things like pets or allergies.
- • Keep the chat friendly and focused on safety.
Find more ways to start the conversation at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/working-together/.
You may not own a gun, but you still have a role to play in strengthening responsible firearm practices in Colorado: Spark conversations about secure storage. Encourage the people around you as they build responsible habits. Pay attention to the moments when someone might need support. Find ways to start the conversation at https://letstalkgunscolorado.com/working-together/
Children usually find unsecured guns in familiar places like their home or a relative’s home. Here is how to prevent that risk.
- • Lock up your gun securely so your child can’t get to it, and keep any passcodes or keys completely hidden.
- • Talk with friends and family about how they keep their guns stored.
Find ways to start the conversation at LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/collective-responsibility/.
With over 40% of Coloradans owning a gun, it’s important for households to share knowledge. Having an open conversation about gun safety ensures everyone knows how to respond in an emergency and helps keep your home safe.
For helpful resources and answers to common questions, visit LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/collective-responsibility/
The responsibility of gun safety can continue long after you’ve finished using and storing your firearm. Talking about gun safety with those around you can make a difference in preventing unintentional gun injuries.
Need help starting the conversation? Find talking tips at LetsTalkGunsColorado.com/collective-responsibility/.
Gun safety is a complex issue that can be hard to talk about with others. Let’s come together and find common ground to talk about preventing gun violence. We can unite to create a safer Colorado.