Children's Mercy partners with sheriff's office to offer free gun locks

To help prevent firearm-related injuries in children and adolescents, Children's Mercy is partnering with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and Project Child Safe to provide gun locks to families at no cost and with no questions asked.

The free cable-style gun locks, along with instructions in either English or Spanish, can be picked up at the Security offices at Adele Hall Campus, CM South and CM Broadway, or at the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

"Bravo to Children's Mercy for making these guns locks available to our families that own firearms," said Denise Dowd, MD, MPH, Emergency Department and Urgent Care. "It's crucial that parents keep guns locked, unloaded and out of reach. The most important thing any parent can do is create a home environment that's nurturing, supportive and safe."

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the absence of guns from children's homes and communities is the most reliable and effective way to prevent firearm-related injuries in children and adolescents. However, for parents who choose to own firearms, safe gun storage (guns unloaded and locked, ammunition locked separately) can reduce unintentional injury and suicide risk for children and adolescents.