As part of our organization’s efforts to keep children safe this upcoming holiday season and all year long, Connecticut Children’s is collaborating with hospitals and health systems across the country in a new nationwide public awareness campaign that encourages families to ask one question when their children visit someone else.

That question is, “Are there any unlocked guns in the home?”

By asking about the safe storage of firearms, the campaign is meant to help parents and families feel empowered to ask other parents about access to guns.

“As a parent, you can’t always control the risks faced by your child. But, when it comes to firearms, you can control whether unlocked guns are present in the place your child lives,” said Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA, Executive Director of Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center. “Simply keep your firearms safely locked up. When your child visits someone else, even a grandparent or best friend, just ask, ‘are there any unlocked guns in the house?’ A responsible gun owner will appreciate the question.”

Other Level 1 Trauma Centers in Connecticut that are joining Connecticut Children’s in the campaign include Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford Hospital and Yale New Haven Health.

The public awareness campaign includes broadcast, print and digital public service messages. It also includes a website. The message is clear – access to unlocked guns can lead to death, suicide and gun violence, making it more likely that children die from guns than cancer or automobile accidents. The website provides tips on how to have a conversation with other parents and families about safely stored firearms, and encourages normalizing this conversation.

To learn more about the new nationwide gun safety campaign, visit HospitalsUnited.com.

This campaign is the latest joint effort by Connecticut Children’s, Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford Hospital and Yale New Haven Health to promote gun safety. Prior to this campaign, they participated in the #KeepKidsSafe Connecticut Statewide Gun Buyback, which was held on November 12, 2022. The statewide gun buyback resulted in Connecticut residents turning in 322 unwanted firearms to six police departments that participated in the event. In addition, residents received 292 free gun safes at buyback locations across the state.