How should you respond if a child gains access to your firearm?

• A. Ignore it and hope it doesn't happen again.
• B. Immediately call police and never secure the firearm.
• C. Ensure immediate safety by securing the firearm, contacting authorities if needed, and implementing child-access prevention measures.
• D. Sell the firearm.

Answer: (C)

Prioritize safety and preventing access. When a child gains access to a firearm, the immediate goal is to remove the danger and stop any chance of harm. Secure the firearm right away so it can’t be reached, and if possible, unload it and store it in a locked container or safe. After securing the firearm, contact authorities if needed to report the incident or get guidance, especially if a child was involved or if local laws require reporting. Then put in place child-access prevention measures to reduce the risk in the future, such as using a locked safe, triggering devices, and storing ammunition separately.

Choosing any option that ignores the situation or leaves the firearm unsecured fails to address the present danger and the ongoing risk. An approach that only calls authorities without securing the firearm also leaves immediate danger in place, while selling the firearm does not establish a safety plan to prevent future access.