In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General recognized firearm violence as a critical public health crisis in the United States. Nationwide, firearms have risen to become the number one cause of mortality among children. Data from the CCHSC revealed that between 2024 and 2026, the hospital encountered 121 unintentional firearm injuries, alongside five pediatric fatalities stemming directly from firearm trauma.

The forum focused on community-driven solutions. A recurring consensus emerged among the panelists: sustainable intervention requires bringing the youth into the conversation, acknowledging and resolving the compounding personal traumas they carry before those crises escalate into violence.

Panelist Rodney McIntosh, Pastor and Director of the non-profit organization Violence Intervention and Prevention Fort Worth (VIPFW), urged community members to actively integrate young people into the safety dialogue, equipping them with foundational tools in social-emotional learning and actionable conflict de-escalation tactics.

Daniel Guzman, M.D., an emergency room physician and program director for Cook Children’s Aim for Safety program, brought a frontline medical perspective, illustrating the realities of firearm accidents in the home and emphasizing that responsible storage and education can reduce injury.

The evening closed with a powerful challenge to the audience:

“We challenge you to do something,” said Eric Gonzalez, Program Manager for Injury Prevention at the Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “Ask your community, schools, family: why wait to have a conversation when we can do this right now?”

Fort Worth leaders urge parents, educators, and neighbors to initiate open, judgment-free discussions about firearm safety within their homes and community. Keep guns secured. Protect your children. Lock up all firearms.

Related Stories:   

• Experts Urge Safe Gun Storage as School's Out

• Expert Tips for a Safe Spring Break: Aim for Safety

• Empowering Families: Gun Safety

“As you finalize your plans, remember that safety never takes a vacation,” said Harley Roden, LCDC, program coordinator for injury prevention at the Center for Community Health. 

According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment of households with guns in Cook Children’s eight-county service area, approximately one in five children live in a home with guns that are not always safely locked away. In 2025, Cook Children's saw 68 unintentional gun-related injuries, one of which was fatal. Cook Children’s Aim For Safety program focuses on education and outreach about gun safety to decrease the number of youth injured or killed by a gun.  

“Taking a moment now to ensure all guns are securely stored both at home and while traveling prevents a much-needed break from turning into an unplanned trip to the emergency room,” said Roden.  

The Aim for Safety program takes a pro-safety approach, staying away from politics and focusing on preventing unintentional injury. In 2025, the program distributed 488 gun safes and 3,523 cable locks to the community. Families can find cable locks at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth and Prosper emergency departments. To learn more, visit aimforsafety.org or contact injury.prevention@cookchildrens.org with any questions. 

Roden recommends talking to kids about guns and safety. Aim For Safety can provide families with resources like graphic novels and other materials to help with the conversation.   

The program shares these safety tips: 

Safe Storage 

• Store guns unloaded in locked locations and out of reach of children.
• Use cable locks and gun boxes.
• Secure ammunition separately. 

If You See a Gun 

• Stop.
• Don't touch it.
• Run away.
• Tell a trusted adult. 

Safe Play 

• Ask the parents of your child's friends if they have guns in their homes and how they are being stored.
• If you are asked about your guns, don't be offended.
• Never aim BB guns or pellet guns at another person. 

Aim for Safety in the Community: 
LVT Rise: Saturday, March 28 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  
Carrollton: Saturday, May 2 | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

Lives Impacted by Gun-Related Injuries and Prevention Efforts at Cook Children's 

• In FY 2025, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 68 gun-related injuries and one fatality.
• In FY 2024, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 62 gun-related injuries.
• Most non-fatal injuries were caused by air-powered guns (BB guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns, etc.), while most severe or fatal injuries were caused by handguns.  

Related Stories:   

• Expert Tips for a Safe Spring Break: Water Safety
• Experts Urge Safe Gun Storage as School's Out
• The Ultimate Holiday Safety Checklist 

“Hiding a gun under a mattress, in the closet, or on a high shelf is not safe storage,” Gonzalez explains. “Guns must be stored unloaded and locked away outside the reach of a child or teen.”

Gonzalez adds that safe storage can greatly contribute to reducing unauthorized use of firearms and gun violence among our youth.   

Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 40 gun-related injuries in fiscal year 2025 (October–September). During the fiscal year 2024, Cook Children treated 62 gun-related injuries.

June 6 marks National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the beginning of Wear Orange Weekend, a time dedicated to raising awareness about gun violence prevention and honoring victims.

“Summer especially is a great time to practice the 3 T’s of gun safety: Talk, Teach, and Take Action,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Dan Guzman, M.D., a pediatric emergency medicine physician and Medical Director of the Aim For Safety® program, work together to educate the community, primarily focusing on preventing unintentional gun injuries by encouraging safe gun storage. Dr. Guzman has seen and treated an unfortunate number of children injured or killed due to firearms. As a gun owner and parent, he understands the importance of safely securing firearms.

“I don't want to watch another child die as a result of a firearm,” Dr. Guzman said.

He emphasizes that the initiative is not about advocating for or against gun ownership; the focus is on providing people with the tools and resources to be safe around guns.

The Aim For Safety® program has provided education and resources to thousands across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

“We highlight how safe storage greatly reduces the risk of unintentional injuries, as well as how it contributes to keeping children safe during mental health crises and reducing the risk of use for gun violence,” Gonzalez said.

Between October 2024 and April 2025 alone, the program provided 252 gun safes and 206 gun cable locks to the community. This is in addition to almost 1,000 gun cable locks provided to families in the emergency department over the last year.

“That’s a total of 458 families which now have tools to keep their families safe,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez explains that safety extends beyond firearms such as handguns and also includes air-powered guns such as BB, pellet, and paintball guns.

“Guns should never be used without a guardian’s permission and should only be used while an adult is supervising,” Gonzalez said.

Open Dialogue: Talking to Other Parents about Gun Safety

• Keep the conversation focused on safety, not on whether someone should or should not own a gun.
• Simply ask if there are firearms in the home and if so, are they properly stored (unloaded and locked with a cable lock or in a gun safe).
  • If not, visit the Cook Children’s Aim For Safety website for tips on how to keep guns safely stored or for resources that we can offer to assist in safely storing the gun.

Aim for Safety in the Community

Aim for Safety will be out in the community throughout the summer:

• Defenderpalooza on July 12
• Fort Worth’s Premier Gun Show on August 23-24
• Scheels Great Outdoor Expo September 6-7
• If anyone is interested in a presentation, please reach out to  eric.gonzalez@cookchildrens.org

Lives Impacted by Gun-Related Injuries and Prevention Efforts at Cook Children's

• In FY 2025, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth has treated 40 gun-related injuries
• In FY 2024, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 62 gun-related injuries
• Most non-fatal injuries were caused by air-powered guns (BB guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns, etc.), while most severe or fatal injuries were caused by handguns.
• Between October 2024 and April 2025 alone, we provided 252 gun safes and 206 gun cable locks to the community through various events.

The event, hosted by Cook Children's Aim for Safety® initiative at William James Middle School, provided education and tools about gun safety. The Aim for Safety Initiative is designed to reduce the number of children who are victims of gun-related injury or death through education.

The Initiative is a passion of Dr. Guzman’s because he has seen so many firearm injuries and deaths firsthand.

“I work in the ER and see these (firearm) injuries that come through the hospital. I have taken care of multiple kids who have died, unfortunately, in front of me,” Dr. Guzman said. “And that’s what drives me; I don't want to watch another child die as a result of a firearm.”

Many injuries and deaths are unintentional and due to a firearm not being safely locked away. A main component of Dr. Guzman’s presentation is how to properly store a firearm to keep it out of children's hands.

Dr. Guzman said that Cook Children’s has a responsibility to be at the forefront of this gun safety conversation. As witnesses to the damage and tragedy that can unfold when a gun isn’t stored properly, physicians and providers must mobilize the conversation.

That conversation extends beyond families who own a gun. Even if a family does not have a firearm in their house, parents and guardians should make sure children know what to do if they find a gun outside of the home. For example, he said, to make sure kids know not to touch the firearm and to tell an adult about it.

Dr. Guzman emphasized that the initiative is not advocating for or against gun ownership; the focus is on providing people with the tools and resources to be safe around guns.

“Guns aren’t going to go away, so we have to educate our families and our kids on how to respond and react when they are around guns,” he said.

Star Enriquez attended the event and plans to talk to her kids about what she learned.

“I have two teenagers; they are growing up and are curious about everything. I am planning to get a gun, but I was not ready to because I was afraid,” Enriquez said. “But now with this class, it means a lot because now I have all the information I need.”

Enriquez said she plans to tell her children that the gun is for “mom and dad to use in case of an emergency.” She also intends to buy a lockbox with a safety code and fingerprint, as Guzman advised. Kids are naturally curious, she said, and she wants to make sure she communicates with them as openly as possible to keep them safe.

“I feel much better now that I got more information about it,” she said.

This was the group’s first event speaking to a large group and doing a presentation at a school. The school setting was especially important because the Fort Worth school district has seen its own tragedies because of gun violence. Damariion Henton, who was a student at Polytechnic High School, died in November 2024 after another teenager accidentally shot him.

From 2020 to 2023, Cook Children’s Health Care System in Fort Worth saw 208 gun-related injuries, 17 fatal and 191 non-fatal. Most of these injuries happened at home and were an accident. Most non-fatal injuries were caused by air-powered guns (BB guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns, etc.) while most severe or fatal injuries were caused by handguns.

August is proclaimed Gun Safety Awareness Month by three North Texas cities: Arlington, Prosper and Alvarado. The Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s led this effort to spread awareness and education about proper gun storage and safety.

“We’re so thankful that Prosper, Arlington and Alvarado recognized August as Gun Safety Awareness Month. This helps us so much in getting this important message of safe gun storage out to the communities and families that we serve and helps us highlight that safety is our number one priority,” Eric Gonzalez, Program Coordinator for the Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth.

The Cook Children’s Aim for Safety initiative was designed to help reduce injuries among children through gun safety education. The program emphasizes 3-step rules: safe storage, safe children and safe play. It maintains a non-political approach and focuses on educating families about ways to keep everyone safe when guns are in a home.

“Children are curious and while parents and caregivers may be encouraging gun safety, the best thing they can do for their families and loved ones is safely store a firearm using a gun cable lock, gun safe or other appropriate safe measure,” Gonzalez said.

The dates and times for each city’s proclamations differed with the Alvarado City Council on July 15, the Prosper City Council on July 23 and the Arlington City Council on Aug. 6.

The Arlington proclamation was made possible through the assistance of Cheryl McCarver, Senior Vice President of the Arlington-Mansfield YMCA.

With the school year starting back up and families being back at home, it is important to remember that certain steps must be taken to protect children from unintentional shootings when there are firearms in the house. Most firearm injuries and deaths occur in young children and teens. Many of these are due to a firearm that was not safely locked away. Gun safety education shares necessary steps to protect our children.

“Gun safety is about ensuring the safety of our families and those we love. Every gun owner is tasked with the responsibility of safely storing their guns. As we raise awareness on this topic, we increase the chances of saving a life and work towards fulfilling the Cook Children’s promise to improve the well-being of every child in our care and in our communities,” Gonzalez said.

The report, which uses data that covers approximately 20 years of unintentional gun deaths among kids, identified 1,262 firearm injury deaths among children under 18. The report serves as a reminder about the importance of keeping guns locked up and away from children.

The CDC’s study revealed:

• The majority of the firearms used to inflict unintentional injuries were frequently stored unlocked (76%), and most of those unlocked guns were loaded (91%).
• In 30% of the deaths, most common places guns were found were inside or on top of a nightstand, under a mattress or bed pillow, or on top of a bed.
• Firearms were also found on top of a shelf or inside a closet (18.6%) and inside a vehicle (12.5%).
• Sixty-seven percent of unintentional gun injury deaths among kids occurred when the shooter was playing with or showing the firearm to another person (66.6%).

Dan Guzman, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical director of the Aim for Safety Program, says the CDC’s findings reflect the data at Cook Children’s.

“Unfortunately, we see this tragedy many times a year in our ED at Cook Children’s, which has long-lasting effects on families and staff,” Dr. Guzman said. “These types of incidents are preventable.”

Gun awareness and gun safety is a passion for Dr. Guzman. He initiated Aim for Safety in 2017 after seeing too many children treated for accidental gun-related injuries at the medical center. He asks gun owners to take action and store their firearms properly and to take personal responsibility for children’s safety.

“It is important for firearm owners to know how much risk they put their families by having an unsecured firearm,” he said. “It is our responsibility as gun owners to secure our weapons from children and unauthorized users.”

Dr. Guzman says children are curious and do not understand the repercussions of picking up a loaded firearm and pulling the trigger. Storing a loaded firearm under the mattress, in a bedside table or a closet places your family at risk. The most secure place for your firearm is in a safe with the ammunition stored separately. If you are unable to purchase a gun safe, then separating the ammunition from the firearm and using a cable or trigger lock will help reduce the risk of unintentional injury to your child.

“If your kids can walk, they can find themselves in all kinds of scary predicaments in the home,” Dr. Guzman said. “So let’s do what we can as parents and responsible firearm owners and lock up those guns!”

Aim for Safety

Cook Children's Aim for Safety initiative is designed to help reduce the number injuries we see every year among children through gun safety education. This is not about whether guns are right or wrong. It's about taking the necessary steps to protect our children.

Help your kids learn and follow the 3-step rules:

1. Safe Storage. Parents and caretakers should always ensure safe storage in your own home and the homes you visit. Store firearms unloaded and in locked locations, out of reach of children.

• Use trigger locks and gun boxes.
• Secure ammunition separately.
• Hide gun safe and trigger lock keys.
• Keep unlocked guns in your possession.
• Make sure all guns are equipped with effective, child-resistant gun locks.
• If a visitor has a gun in a backpack, briefcase, handbag, or unlocked car, provide them with a locked place to keep it when in your home.

2. Safe Children.

If your child sees a real gun or sees someone aiming a toy gun at others, teach them to:

• Stop.
• Don't touch.
• Run away.
• Tell a grown up.

3. Safe Play.

• When non-powder guns are in use, there are a few things to remember to help prevent injury:
  • Never aim BB guns or pellet guns at another person
  • When using a paint ball gun, gel bead gun, water bead gun, or soft foam gun, players should be properly attired and wear safety glasses at all times.
• Ask the parents of your child's friends if they have guns in their homes and how they are being stored.
• If you are asked about your guns, don't be offended.
• Aim for Safety is for advocating gun safety and gun safety only.
• This information is to aid gun owners in protecting not only their own children but also those that enter their home.

According to the latest available data (June 30), Cook Children’s has treated 29 patients for gunshot wounds in 2023. Two of those patients died from their injuries.

Findings from Cook Children’s 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment survey revealed:

• Of households with guns in Cook Children’s eight-county service area, 1 in 5 children live in a home with guns that are not always safely locked away (locking up the firearm and storing ammunition in a separate location).
• Ten percent of young children, 20% of 6–11 year olds and 30% of 12–17 year olds live in a home with a gun that is not always safely locked away.

“As a physician focused on injury prevention, I know local leaders are instrumental in educating children and families about the risks unlocked guns pose in the home,” said Daniel Guzman, M.D., emergency medicine physician and program director of the Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s. “We’re grateful for the leadership Fort Worth has shown on this important issue.”

Partners in this proclamation included Lock Arms for Life, a Texas-based nonprofit that works every day to get all guns locked when not in use.

The Center for Community Health will be at these upcoming free safety and community events:

Additional information from organizers:

Run4Elise

The Run4Elise is a 5K and 1 Mile fun run that benefits the Swim4Elise Foundation and the Elise Cerami Memorial Scholarship. This family-friendly community event honors the life of Elise Cerami by promoting water safety through swimming scholarships and community outreach education. Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child. 

Pop Up Safety Center/Diaper Hub

The Center for Community Health will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child, Safe Baby Sleep, Aim for Safety and many other campaigns from the Center for Children's Health and Cook Children's. 

Super Safety Saturday- Burleson

Bring the entire family to Super Safety Saturday. The Burleson Fire Department is partnering with Texas Health Burleson for a family-friendly safety event that will include pool & sun safety education, home safety, bike safety and fire safety. There will also be free bounce houses, fire truck, ambulance and much more. Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Safe Baby Sleep and Aim for Safety campaigns.

Argyle Child Safety Fair

It's almost that time again. The 3rd Annual Child Safety Fair is just around the corner on June 10th and it will be bigger and better (though still FREE) than before. There will be a water slide, a rock climbing wall, a water gun arena, a dunk tank, free snow cones, and so much more. And if you're an expectant mother or are looking to ensure that your car seat is installed correctly, we will have a car seat fitting event prior to the Child Safety Fair. Mark your calendar now! There will also be free drug lock boxes, free gun safes, free booster seats, and free bike helmets. Go here for more information. 

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for Lifeguard Your Child, Safe Baby Sleep, Aim for Safety and many other campaigns from the Center for Children's Health and Cook Children's.

Defenderpalooza 2023

We’re excited to host our 2nd Annual Defenderpalooza event and making this event even bigger and better! Go here for more information.

The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's will share information and resources for our Aim for Safety campaign.

Kaitlin Bates and her three young sons heard a loud pop while walking on a nature trail one day last summer. 

At first, Kaitlin thought their stroller ran over something, maybe a snake. Then her 18-month-old son Jace started screaming. Kaitlin was shocked to see blood flowing from a hole in Jace’s knee. The toddler, seated in the stroller, had been shot.   

The Bates family’s trip to a nature center in Wichita Falls on Aug. 11, 2022, turned tragic because someone fired a gun. Was the shooter aiming at the boys and their mom? Or was Jace randomly hit by a stray bullet? No one knows.

Whether or not the shooter intended to cause harm, the consequences were serious. The bullet tore through cartilage, ligaments and tendons, and also chipped off a bone fragment from his tibia. Jace required surgery – followed by months of physical therapy to regain the use of his left leg.

“Jace is so resilient,” Kaitlin said. “It slowed him down for awhile and he had a lot of pain for awhile while, but I think Jace has the beauty of ignorance because he’s so young. He never knew what happened. He didn’t know it was a gunshot.”

Jace was one of 42 children and teens treated at Cook Children’s Medical Center for gunshot wounds in 2022. Most of those patients were ages 11 or older, although some were babies or preschoolers. Five died from their injuries.

Hospital data show that handguns accounted for almost half of the gunshot wounds treated at Cook Children’s last year. Traumatic injuries also resulted from shotguns, BB guns and airsoft guns, which use compressed gas to launch pellets.

In an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities from firearms, the Cook Children’s Aim for Safety® program promotes awareness and responsibility to help protect kids from accidental shootings. The program emphasizes three basic steps:

1.     Safe Storage – Keep firearms unloaded and in locked locations out of reach of children. Use trigger locks and gun safes. Secure ammunition separately.

2.     Safe Children – Teach your child don’t touch if they see a gun or someone aiming a toy gun at others. Teach them to run and tell an adult.

3.     Safe Play – When non-powder guns are in use, remember to never aim BB guns or pellet guns at another person. Wear safety glasses when using a paintball gun, gel bead gun, water bead gun or soft foam gun. Before a playdate at a friend’s house, find out if guns are kept in the home and how those guns are secured.

Daniel Guzman, M.D. understands the Texas hunting culture; he’s a firearm owner himself and respects the Second Amendment. But as a physician at the Cook Children’s Emergency Department, he also knows the danger. Dr. Guzman started Aim for Safety® in 2017 after the upsetting experience of treating a 4-year-old shot on accident by a sibling. The child died from the injuries.  

“No one is here to talk about keeping a gun from anybody, but there are definitely things that we can do to help minimize the injuries,” Dr. Guzman said. “The number one thing that comes with gun ownership is safe storage and responsibility.”   

In Jace’s case, maybe the shooter hit the boy on purpose. His parents think the more likely scenario was carelessness … the shooter pulled the trigger without knowing what or who could be in the bullet’s path. Aim for Safety® wants to keep such tragedies from happening.

Jace can once again walk, ride a tricycle and romp around with his big brothers. Kaitlin and Justin Bates are thankful for their son’s recovery but don’t know if the injury will impact his growth or cause complications when he’s older. Here’s a closer look at events and the care Jace received at Cook Children’s.  

Bullet out of the Blue

The bullet came in at a downward angle, entering through the inner leg and protruding like a knot on the outside of his knee. Kaitlin unbuckled Jace and ran with him in her arms the short distance back to the nature center. She yelled for help.

“There was blood everywhere. Jace’s leg was just pouring blood,” Kaitlin remembers. “I was just looking at him and trying to assess what had happened. I saw a perfectly round hole in his leg.”

Two of Kaitlin’s former schoolmates happened to be there. They comforted the older Bates brothers, who were scared and crying. Someone called 911. Another guest offered a first aid kit, and Kaitlin sat Jace on the counter in the restroom. The two women made a tourniquet and applied pressure with paper towels. But the bleeding didn’t stop.

“Jace was kind of starting to pass out,” his mom said. “He had lost a lot of blood and he had quit crying. He was very still at this point.”   

The ambulance rushed Jace and Kaitlin to a local hospital, where doctors put his leg in a soft cast and lined up transport by helicopter to Fort Worth. Kaitlin knew it was a bad injury, and she wanted to go to pediatric specialists at Cook Children’s. The Emergency Department was ready and waiting to give Jace a scan and pain medication to get through the night.

In surgery early the next morning, two incisions were made to remove the bullet and to flush the wound of residue that could cause infection. Jace was put in a cast from his groin to the toes on his left foot. He went home the next day.

The cast prevented Jace from putting any weight on his leg. Normally a rowdy fireball of energy, the boy couldn’t stand up when the cast came off a month later.

“He couldn’t bend or straighten his leg. It was frozen in that position,” Kaitlin said. “It has been grueling. He's had a lot of pain. and even still, if I pick him up in a weird position or if I'm rocking him and I hold his leg funky, he still will reach down and grab his leg and start crying.”

Physical therapy sessions twice a week in Wichita Falls provided stretching and climbing practice to help Jace improve his strength and range of motion.

Cook Children’s will continue to monitor Jace, who limps when he’s tired. Doctors don’t know how the growth plates in his knee might respond to the injury. Arthritis could potentially be another long-term complication. 

Jace’s parents aren’t anti-gun. In fact, they practice safeguards at home because Justin owns a firearm.

“Being a responsible gun owner myself I never would’ve imagined that someone’s negligence would affect my family in this way,” Justin said. “It is paramount that firearm education is taught in our communities with the understanding that a firearm is a tool that should be operated, maintained and stored responsibly.”

His parents suspect the bullet that hit Jace came from a handgun fired blindly from a neighborhood or city park outside the grounds of the nature center. As of January 2023, the shooting remained unsolved.

“Maybe someone was just shooting up into the air and didn't realize that what comes up has to come down,” Kaitlin said. “I really don't know. There's a lot of yuck in this world, and so maybe someone did it intentionally. But overall, my husband and I really are on the page of somebody shot a gun not knowing what was behind him, which is just as stupid as doing it intentionally.”

Jace getting shot was one of the scariest things his parents have ever faced. They don’t want other families to go through what they experienced. But they rely on faith and see blessings throughout the ordeal. Kaitlin points out that if she had pushed the stroller one step further on the trail, Jace could have been shot in the head or heart instead of the knee. He could have been killed.

“We are constantly praying that the Lord would use this to bring about a mighty testimony in all of our lives, especially Jace’s,” she said. “We pray that Jace would come one day to know how much God loves him and protected him and that Jace would spread that love to all those he encounters in his life. No matter the circumstances, God is still good.”

Access and Risk

As medical director of Aim for Safety®, Dr. Guzman works to spread the three-point message of Safe Storage, Safe Children, and Safe Play through presentations at schools and community events. He and the program have reached thousands of families, provided hundreds of locks and safes for safe storage, and distributed more than 3,000 education and awareness resources.

In 2022, he made presentations to eight elementary schools and six community events in the Fort Worth area. The program also includes online classes offered through the Cook Children’s Center for Children’s Health.

“I wanted to get out there and talk to families and remind them of the importance of storing firearms safely – unloaded and locked in a safe,” Dr. Guzman said. “I’m not here to make a political statement. I’m here to educate families and keep our children safe!”

His goal is to help people understand the risk of gun ownership – similar to the risk of drowning that homeowners can proactively reduce by installing fences and locked gates around a backyard swimming pool.

Frequent conversations with your child are vital. Teach them never to touch a gun they might come across in a purse, nightstand drawer, vehicle or other location. But families also need to put barriers in place to limit access. Dr. Guzman estimates that Aim for Safety® has given away 175 gun safes and more than 1,000 gun locks in the past two years. 

The national Gun Violence Archive website lists 314 fatal shootings of U.S. children ages 0-11 in 2022. Unintentional shootings can be prevented, Dr. Guzman pointed out. He never wants to hear another grieving mother in the emergency room say she didn’t think it would happen. 

“I know my kids like to explore. They’re curious about things. They’re going to play hide and seek and play with things they may across,” he said. “Again, it’s not about browbeating anybody. It’s just about keeping our kids safe.”

Cook Children’s Aim for Safety® presents a non-political educational approach to keeping everyone safe when guns are in a home, The program emphasizes responsibility through three steps: Safe Storage. Safe Children. Safe Play. It doesn’t debate whether guns are right or wrong. It's about protecting our children.

For more information or to register for an online firearms safety course, go to Gun Safety (centerforchildrenshealth.org)

Since 2017, Cook Children’s Emergency Department has treated more than 300 children and teens for gunshot wounds. One of those children, a 4-year-old boy, changed the life of Daniel Guzman, M.D., forever. While Dr. Guzman couldn’t save this child from his fatal injuries, he vowed to do everything in his power to save other children from the same fate.

Later that year, he launched the Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s, which focuses on preventing gun injuries in children and teens. On this episode of Raising Joy, Dr. Guzman (who is a gun owner himself) explains how parents can protect their children, regardless of whether or not they have a gun in their home.

Raising Joy is part of Cook Children’s Health Care System’s Joy Campaign, a communications initiative aimed at preventing youth suicides. For more information about the Joy Campaign, visit cookchildrens.org/joy.

Join us for the first LIVE recording of the Raising Joy podcast on Thursday, September 29 at the historic Downtown Cowtown at the Isis Theater in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

This event, which is being hosted in partnership with The Center for Children’s Health led by Cook Children's, will bring mental health leaders in the community together to hear an inspiring talk by author and renowned speaker Andrew Solomon, Ph.D. Solomon is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, National Book Award winner, TedTalk presenter, as well as a professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University.

Registration is required to attend. Click here to register! 

Cook Children’s Health Care System has treated 16 non-fatal firearm-related injuries so far from January through April of this year. Of those 16 injuries, 14 were unintentional, and two were assault injuries. There have been zero fatal firearm-related injuries  in 2022.

Since 2017, Cook Children’s has treated 344 firearm injuries, 16 of which were fatal.

Cook Children's Aim for Safety® initiative is designed to help reduce the number injuries we see every year among children through gun safety education. This is not about whether guns are right or wrong. It's about taking the necessary steps to protect our children.

Aim for Safety interactive kiosk

Cook Children’s Aim for Safety® program has a new way to educate families on gun safety through an interactive kiosk that teaches children what to do if they discover a firearm in a home — all while reinforcing safe-storage techniques for adult gun owners.

The mobile kiosk, which stands more than 7-feet high and resembles a giant smartphone, rolled out in December at Defender Outdoors, a sports shooting and outdoors equipment retailer in Fort Worth. As part of a first-time collaboration with Cook Children’s, the kiosk was placed near the check-out registers in hopes it attracts the attention of parents and children alike.

The Aim for Safety educational kiosk — activated by touch — uses advanced technology to engage and teach children as they progress through four levels, stumbling upon unsecured guns hidden in places such as cabinets and drawers while moving through a virtual home. If they find a gun, they must correctly answer questions on how to safely handle the situation in order to progress through the program. Other gun safety-related questions are asked as objects in the rooms are found and touched.

The kiosk is another way the hospital system can further its reach in the community and educate more families about the safe handling and storage of firearms, says Amy Johnson, program coordinator for the Center for Children’s Health (C4CH) and Safe Kids North Texas Coalition led by Cook Children’s.

Aim for Safety program

Gun awareness and gun safety is a passion for Dan Guzman, M.D., Medical Director of the Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s. Dr. Guzman is asking gun owners to take action and store their firearms properly and to take personal responsibility for our children’s safety.

Dr. Guzman stressed that children are curious and impulsive which can be deadly when paired with a firearm. Storing a loaded firearm under the mattress, in a bedside table or a closet is placing your family at risk, Dr. Guzman added.

The most secure place for your firearm is in a safe with the ammunition stored separately. Unsecured firearms should always be in your possession. If you are unable to purchase a gun safe, then separating the ammunition from the firearm and using a cable or trigger lock will help reduce the risk of unintentional injury to your child.

“It’s important to assess and evaluate your home injury risk and find ways to reduce the hazards in your home whether it is related to firearms, water safety, poisonings or any other safety risks,” Dr. Guzman said. “Discussing with your children the importance of what to do when they encounter a firearm can help to reduce unintentional injury in your home."

Help your kids learn and follow the 3-step rules:

Safe storage: 

Parents and caretakers should always ensure safe storage in your own home and the homes you visit. Store firearms unloaded and in locked locations, out of reach of children.

• Use trigger locks and gun boxes.
• Secure ammunition separately.
• Hide gun safe and trigger lock keys.
• Keep unlocked guns in your possession.
• Make sure all guns are equipped with effective, child-resistant gun locks.
• If a visitor has a gun in a backpack, briefcase, handbag, or unlocked car, provide them with a locked place to keep it when in your home.

Safe children: 

If your child sees a real gun or sees someone aiming a toy gun at others, teach them to:

• Stop.
• Don't touch.
• Run away.
• Tell a grown up.

Safe play for non-powder guns:

• When non-powder guns are in use, there are a few things to remember to help prevent injury:
  • Never aim BB guns or pellet guns at another person
  • When using a paint ball gun, gel bead gun, water bead gun, or soft foam gun, players should be properly attired and wear safety glasses at all times.
• Ask the parents of your child's friends if they have guns in their homes and how they are being stored.
• If you are asked about your guns, don't be offended.
• Aim for Safety is for advocating gun safety and gun safety only.
• This information is to aid gun owners in protecting not only their own children, but also those that enter their home.

In Cook Children’s Emergency Department, treating gunshot victims requires all hands on deck. The moments are precious as staff work against the clock to save young lives. The goal? To rescue every child who comes through the sliding doors. The reality? Children with gunshot wounds are among those most likely to die from their injuries.

For emergency room physicians like Dan Guzman, M.D., caring for shooting victims is particularly bothersome because gunshot wounds are preventable. He fears he will see many shooting victims in the coming months as summer is typically a busy time for this type of injury.

“Kids are out of school, and parents are working,” he said. “Children will find a gun that’s not locked or hidden, and a matter of seconds can change a family’s life.”

As of May, 35 children have already been treated at Cook Children’s with gunshot wounds in 2021. Two died. Compare that to 2019 when 41 children were treated for gunshot wounds, including five deaths, and 2020, which totaled 47 patients and four deaths.

“We are five months into 2021 and are on track to exceed prior years,” Dr. Guzman said. “We haven’t reached the halfway point and we’ve already lost two patients.”

While most of the situations stemmed from unintentional gunshots, Dr. Guzman says all of the incidents could have been avoided.

“The vast majority of the kids that we see suffer from head and neck injuries. It's almost impossible to save a life because the damage has been done to the brain.” Dr. Guzman said.

Celeste Calhoun and Jill Plunkett are emergency room nurses with a combined 20+ years of experience. They both agree that seeing gunshot victims coming through the emergency department has happened more often than they’d care to see.

“Gunshots are preventable for children,” Calhoun said. “Children don't go out with an intent to harm each other. They usually obtain the gun because it was left open or out, and by playing with it. Not knowing that it's loaded or what it can do when they aim it at someone and squeeze the trigger.”

Plunkett says her husband was raised around police officers and guns, she and her husband made it a point to teach their two children about gun safety and education at a young age.

“We have guns in our home, they were never loaded and my children didn’t even know the code to the safe until they were adults. They knew the guns were in our home, and if they ever wanted to see them or had questions, my husband would take them out and educate them, but they were never accessible,” Plunkett explained.

Dr. Guzman agrees that education is key. He says he understands why parents may feel they need guns for the safety of their family, however, there is a safe way to have a weapon in the home - locked up.

“Let's put our guns away. For the safety of our children, let's make sure that we're making the right choices,” Dr. Guzman said. “If you can buy a safe, 100%, get a safe and put that gun away. This is not about who can have a gun or who shouldn't have a gun. The bottom line is our children’s safety.”

Dr. Guzman worries that recent state legislation coupled with a spike in gun sales nationwide could lead to more unintentional child shootings.

“Last year (2020) was a bad year, we saw more injuries than we’d seen in the last five years,” Dr. Guzman explained.

The plea is simple. If there are guns in your home, educate your children and make sure they are in a safe and secure place.

“We want to help people avoid having to be in our emergency department, to be safe at home, and live a long life without ever having to see us,” Dr. Guzman said.

Calhoun, who is also a mother, shares another piece of advice that is often forgotten by parents.

“Make sure you know where your child's going to visit and play,” Calhoun said. “If they're going to another home with another child, have that awkward conversation with the parents to find out if they have guns in their home and what safety precautions they take to protect their children.”

Lastly, Dr.Guzman says when educating families, it is important to note that handguns are not the only kind of gun that can injure a child.

“We hear about handguns and firearm accidents in the news,” Dr. Guzman said. “We can’t forget children are injured by BB guns and pellet guns too. I’ve seen children die from BB guns and pellet guns, so we have to be cognizant at all times.”

This is sound advice that everyone should follow but with so many kids home, Cook Children’s has begun to see rising numbers in outdoor- and home-related injuries.

During the past month, Cook Children’s Trauma team numbers show five children were treated for non-fatal drownings and two children were treated for non-fatal gun-shot wounds.

“Parents are multi-tasking even more today. Even though they may be working from home, they are balancing watching the kids, doing school work and trying to do their full-time job. Everyone is stressed about finances and what the future holds as well,” said Sharon Evans, Trauma/Injury Prevention outreach coordinator at Cook Children’s. “All these factors create the perfect storm for injuries. With all of the COVID-19 stress, the last thing a parent or maybe even a grandparent needs is for a child to be injured or killed because they weren’t watching their children. There are no ‘do-overs.’”

Many families have turned to walks, bike riding and other physical activities outdoors, which have led to increased injuries from not using helmets, protective gear and other safety guidelines. Head and arm injuries are common problems associated with outdoor riding and other activities.

“While we are ecstatic that children are finding ways to get exercise and enjoy the mild weather, we want to remind parents to make sure that kids are protected while having fun and, of course while maintaining social distancing,” Kara Starnes, D.O. medical director of Urgent Care at Cook Children's said.

In order to prevent head injuries, Dr. Starnes recommends proper supervision and use of helmets and other protect equipment. Arm injuries can be prevent by using protective equipment and teaching your children to fall on their forearms rather than on the outstretched hand-one of the most common types of fractures.

“As a pediatrician, it is hard for me to fathom for my patients no parks or interaction with other children, but we are living through a difficult time with COVID-19. Some ideas to keep your children healthy and active while maintaining safe distancing from others include a multitude of online activity classes online geared towards children such as dance lessons, yoga, or exercises geared towards certain sports,” Dr. Starnes said. “Other ideas include creating a contest between your children to see who can dribble a basketball the longest with the winner getting to skip their least desired chore for the day.”

There is no instruction manual for parenting in a pandemic, but following safety precautions can drastically improve some of the stress from having the kids outside all day.

Here are some particular precautions you should consider in regards to keeping your child safe during this time:

Water and Pool Safety in the time of COVID-19

One of the great things about being stuck at home is the opportunity to start some of your summer activities early.

Grills are firing up. Kites are flying. Pools are starting to be used.

But all the early summer play and exploration is not without risks.

Over the past few weeks in the start of the COVID-19 orders to stay at home, Cook Children’s has seen five non-fatal drownings in both parent’s and grandparent’s pools.

It’s important to keep in mind this risk as parents are distracted at home more than ever by their own fears and work responsibilities. Alcohol use has also increased which can lead to distracted parenting. Even during the best of times, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death for kids 1-14 in Texas.

Here are some general and COVID-specific tips to help protect your child:

• While swimming in your pool, remember to practice social distancing in the water, just like you do on land.
• Install four sided fences with self-latching gates around pools. Walk around existing fences and gates and check for proper functioning.
• Have your family safe swim talk today. Especially enforce no swimming alone as bored children tend to explore.
• Remind your kids that the water might be cooler than they expect. Surprise cold water can lead to panic and increased risk.
• Use pool door/child alarms and check their functioning.
• When able, take CPR and swim lessons. If your child can’t swim, you must be within arm’s reach AT ALL TIMES.
• Have a non-distracted adult watching the water at all times. Designate who that person is and rotate frequently.

For more information on how to implement this advice, please visit Cook Children’s Water Safety website.

Gun safety during Stay at Home

Well, parents, welcome to helping to teach your kid whether you wanted to or not.

But, while we might not be able to help all our kids with “The New Math,” there is one particular topic that you should definitely cover with your children during these times as it could save their life: gun safety.

Gun awareness and gun safety are a passion for Daniel Guzman, M.D., the medical direct of the Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s, which promotes fire arm safety. Dr. Guzman has the following advice:

Safe Play

If your child sees a gun, teach them to:

• Stop
• Don't touch
• Run away
• Tell a grownup

Safe Storage

• Store firearms unloaded in locked locations, out of reach of children.
• Use trigger locks and gun boxes.
• Secure ammunition separately.
• Hide gun safe and trigger lock keys.
• Keep unlocked guns in your possession.
• Make sure all guns are equipped with effective, child-resistant gun locks.
• If a visitor has a gun in a backpack, briefcase, handbag, or unlocked car, provide them with a locked place to keep it when your home.

Safe Children

• Ask the parents of your child’s friends if they have guns in their homes and how they are stored.
• If you are asked about your guns, don’t be offended.

Another way to easily remember and share with family and friends is what Dr. Guzman coined the "3T's of firearm safety and children.

Talk – to your family, friends, and neighbors about the importance of firearm safety to keep our children safe

Teach – your children how to respond if they encounter an unsecured firearm

Take – personal responsibility to store your firearms appropriately to keep ALL our children safe

Other safety concerns include:

• Chemical exposure - Extra cleaning supplies around the house are important to keep our families safe but ensuring safe and secure storage is important, particularly with younger children in the house. Click to learn more way to protect your child.

• Head injuries and falls - Allow kids to get outside and relaxed rules inside can be helpful to pass the time but ensure that children are properly supervise and using protective equipment correctly. Find out more safety tips here.

• Vehicular hyperthermia - Change in routine is one of the biggest risk factors for a child being left in a car. Build in safeguards to ensure that you remember that you have a child with you anytime you are in the car. Also, always remember to keep your doors locked in the driveway to prevent child access. Learn more here.

• Parental frustration and child abuse - The stresses of COVID-19 are heavy on both children and parents. The anxiety and isolation can lead to frustration which can lead to abuse. Ensure that you are finding time to take care of yourselves and reach out for help if necessary. Read our article we wrote on this topic.

Helpful Safety Information:

• Aim For Safety/Gun Safety Program
• Bicyle Safety
• Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
• Drowning Prevention
• Medication Safety, Storage and Disposal
• Poison Prevention
• TV and Furniture Tip-Over Information
• Vehicle/Car Safety
• Frequently Asked Questions About Hyperthermia

As an emergency room physician, Dr. Guzman also knows the importance of gun safety.

Dr. Guzman has seen serious, even deadly consequences, as a result of a child shot with a BB or pellet gun.

From January 2016 to the end of November in 2019, 214 children have been seen at Cook Children’s because of firearm injuries.

During that time frame, 27 children were injured by a handgun, 10 from a rifle, shotgun or larger firearm and 177 others were harmed by “other or unspecified firearms, which includes airguns and BB guns.

Firearm Injuries by Calendar Year and Age Group

Over his 16-year emergency room career, Dr. Guzman has cared for three children who died from BB/pellet firearm injuries to the chest.

Dr. Guzman said that "basic BB guns like a Red Ryder can fire up to 450 feet/second, and pellet guns can fire up to 1300 feet/second, which is faster than most handguns."

Dr. Guzman stated, "that studies have shown that it only takes 331 feet/second to penetrate the skin, so it is easy to see why injuries and deaths can occur from such basic firearms. Teaching children to respect firearms is important. Still, more importantly, parental supervision is important, as well as appropriately storing all firearms is key to keeping our children safe from unintentional injuries."

Even some NERF guns can harm a child. Many of these guns are made to shoot from as far away as 100 feet. If a child holds the Nerf gun too close, the power of the dart could hurt a child.

"Many children have been harmed by what's called a 'toy gun,'" Dr. Guzman said. "If you are going to have guns in the house, it's important to teach children to respect the guns. It can save a life and teach children to have gun safety etiquette as they get older."

With the holidays and gift-giving right around the corner, Dr. Guzman wants to get the word out about gun safety as more firearms will find their way into people's homes.

Buying a Gun for Your Child

Giving guns as gifts, especially BB and pellet guns, is a common occurrence in states like Texas.

In fact, the vast majority of us grew up with these types of firearms and never would think of them as "deadly." But the truth is, they can cause severe injury and death.

Firearm Injuries by Calendar Year and Outcome

Unfortunately, Dr Guzman has seen many unintentional injuries related to BB and pellet guns. Within the last two years he has seen injuries to the face and eye causing debilitating injuries. One child lost vision in one eye from being accidentally shot by a friend with a BB gun.

“It is important to view these firearms as real threats to our children and be vigilant about safety when we have any type of firearm in the home,” Dr Guzman explains.

In Texas, minors can't buy guns. It's illegal to sell a long gun (rifles) to anyone under 18 and to sell handguns to anyone under 21.

However, it's not illegal to give a gun to a minor with parental permission.

"I know this is a divisive issue for many people," Dr. Guzman said. "But my main concern is the safety of children. If you do buy a gun for your younger child, make sure they are mature enough to handle the firearm. And, if you are taking the gun out for hunting or recreation, always travel with your child. Never let them go alone."

Some helpful tips for gun safety include:

• Start with a hunter's safety course for children to learn the basics of firearm handling.
• When you aren't using a gun, store the gun unloaded, and locked up. Lock up the bullets separately and keep control of the keys.
• Teach your child to assume a gun is always loaded.
• Never point a gun at someone or yourself.
• Set a good example with your own gun handling practices. For instance, don't leave a gun out in the open.

Steps to Protect Your Child

"It won't happen to us" is a common theme among children and accidental injuries such as gun shootings.

However, the numbers tell a different story. In 2017, there were at least 26 children ages 0-11 in the state of Texas alone that were accidentally killed because a gun was not safely locked away.

One out of every three homes with children in the U.S. has a gun. In Texas, 36% of adults have a household firearm, and over 199,000 children currently live with unlocked, loaded firearms in their homes.

Firearm Injuries by Calendar Year and Gun Type

Dr. Guzman encourages you to talk to the parents of your child's friends if they have guns in their homes and asked how they are stored. And if asked about your own guns, don't be offended.

Other tips from Dr. Guzman include:

Safe Children

• Ask the parents of your child’s friends if they have guns in their homes and how they are stored.
• If you are asked about your guns, don’t be offended.

Safe Play

If your child sees a gun, teach them to:

• Stop
• Don't touch
• Run away
• Tell a grownup

Safe Storage

• Store firearms unloaded in locked locations, out of reach of children.
• Use trigger locks and gun boxes.
• Secure ammunition separately.
• Hide gun safe and trigger lock keys.
• Keep unlocked guns in your possession.
• Make sure all guns are equipped with effective, child-resistant gun locks.
• If a visitor has a gun in a backpack, briefcase, handbag, or unlocked car, provide them with a locked place to keep it when your home.

Another way to easily remember and share with family and friends is what Dr. Guzman coined the "3T's of firearm safety and children.

Talk – to your family, friends, and neighbors about the importance of firearm safety to keep our children safe

Teach – your children how to respond if they encounter an unsecured firearm

Take – personal responsibility to store your firearms appropriately to keep ALL our children safe

And finally, Dr. Guzman emphasizes, "if you are going to purchase a firearm this Christmas- remember to purchase a storage device along with that firearm to keep it from being found and mishandled by our children, so we can keep our holiday fun, festive and SAFE!"

*Source for Cook Children's Stats: Cook Children's Medical Center Meditech and Epic Claims Data. Inclusion Criteria: Encounter with any ICD-10 External Cause Code of: U01.4, W32-W34, X72-X74, X93-X95, Y22-Y24, or Y35.0

Dan Guzman, M.D., a Cook Children’s emergency physician, called the day gut-wrenching for the victims, their families, and the medical staff that took care of the kids, ranging from ages 3 to 14.

Gun awareness and gun safety is a passion for Dr. Guzman. He is the medical director of the Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s, which promotes firearm safety for children. The program is a multi-step interactive experience that provides parental awareness and teaches children the steps they should take when they encounter a firearm.

“I think most people think this ‘won’t happen to us’ because we’ve taught our kids to never touch guns,” Dr. Guzman said. “But if you aren’t taking the proper precautions as the adult and parent, it’s probably only a matter of when, not if, your life may be affected by an unintentional discharge involving someone you know, and maybe even your child.”

Firearm-related fatalities are a top 3 cause of death among children in the United States.

Dr. Guzman said before the weekend, the medical center staff sees about one child per week. Already in 2019, three gunshot wounds treated at the medical center have been fatal.

“Unfortunately, the tragedy of children falling victim to unsecured firearms continues to happen daily,” Dr. Guzman said. “These preventable incidents and the pain and suffering they inflict can be reduced by properly securing your firearms.”

As part of the program, Dr. Guzman offers these safety tips to follow:

The 3 Ts of firearm safety and children

Talk – This includes your family, neighbors and friends. When your child visits other homes, ask the owners if there are guns in their homes and how they are stored. Dr. Guzman said this question is not to be insulting, but to keep your children safe from unsecured firearms.

Teach – Have a conversation with your kids about what to do if they see a gun:

• Stop
• Don’t touch the gun
• Run away
• Tell someone

Take – Dr. Guzman is asking gun owners to take action and store their firearms properly. And, to take personal responsibility for our children’s safety.

Dr. Guzman stressed that children are curious and impulsive which can be deadly when paired with a firearm. Storing a loaded firearm under the mattress, in a bedside table or a closet is placing your family at risk, Dr. Guzman added.

The most secure place for your firearm is in a safe with the ammunition stored separately. Unsecured firearms should always be in your possession. If you are unable to purchase a gun safe, then separating the ammunition from the firearm and using a cable or trigger lock will help reduce the risk of unintentional injury to your child.

“It’s important to assess and evaluate your home injury risk and find ways to reduce the hazards in your home whether it is related to firearms, water safety, poisonings or any other safety risks,” Dr. Guzman said. “Discussing with your children the importance of what to do when they encounter a firearm can help to reduce unintentional injury in your home.

NBC 5 reports that a toddler was shot in the head at a Fort Worth home last week. Police said the child’s mother and father were at the house and twin 2-year-olds were present at the time. 

While few details have been released about the shooting, Dan Guzman, M.D., an emergency physician at Cook Children’s and a gun owner himself, wants to make gun safety a priority in family’s homes. According to a 2017 Pew study, 30 percent of Americans own guns. Last year, 24 children were treated for gunshot wounds at Cook Children’s.

“Unfortunately, the tragedy of children falling victim to unsecured firearms continues to happen daily,” Dr. Guzman said. “These preventable incidents, and the pain and suffering they inflict can be reduced by properly securing your firearms.”

Dr. Guzman began the new Aim for Safety program at Cook Children’s, which gives parents the real-time opportunity to see what they would do if they found a gun.

Dr. Guzman stressed that children are curious and impulsive which can be deadly when paired with a firearm. Storing a loaded firearm under the mattress, in a bedside table or in a closet is placing your family at risk, Dr. Guzman added.

The safest place for your firearm is in a safe with the ammunition stored separately. Unsecured firearms should always be in your possession. If you are unable to purchase a gun safe, then separating the ammunition from the firearm and using a cable or trigger lock will help reduce the risk of unintentional injury to your child.

“It’s important to assess and evaluate your home injury risk and find ways to reduce the hazards in your home whether it is related to firearms, water safety, poisonings or any other safety risks,” Dr Guzman said. “Discussing with your children the importance of what to do when they encounter a firearm can help to reduce unintentional injury in your home.”

Teaching children basic firearm safety tips can save a child’s life such as:

• Stop
• Don’t touch
• Run away
• Tell a grown up

In addition, when your children visit other homes ask the owners of the home – parents of your child’s friends, your children’s grandparents or other close family members – if there are guns in their homes and how they are stored. Dr. Guzman said this question is not to be insulting, but to keep your children safe around unsecured firearms.

Aim for Safety focuses on protecting children from firearms. The program can help to answer any questions about your child’s safety and help to direct you to any resources to find the appropriate storage device.

Aim for Safety will begin a new program soon to show parents what can happen when their children encounter a firearm. For more information, please visit aimforsafety.org.

For more on this topic:

• Aim for Safety
• Program Aims to Protect Children from Accidental Shootings

Fortunately, none of the children died from the shootings, but it left even a seasoned staff from the Emergency Department and Trauma team shaken.

“Gunshots are not something you should think of when you think of pediatrics,” said Corwin Warmink, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Cook Children's. “It takes a huge toll on our staff because we are treating children. These are young, innocent victims whose lives have ended or have been altered forever. Gunshots cause terrible injuries, even if there is not a death, they are devastating" 

From 2016 to present, 24 kids have been treated at Cook Children's for a gunshot wound. Fourteen were for a BB gun shot, five from a pellet gun, four from a handgun and one from a 40-caliber weapon.

Dr. Warmink said a child-involved shooting carries with it an extra weight because of who inflicted the wound – another child or family member – and it can tear a family apart.

“It’s so frustrating because like drowning, this is something that is 100 percent preventable,” Warmink said. “There’s no reason why a child should have access to a gun, especially a loaded weapon and there’s no reason a child should have the ability to load the weapon.”

Guns in a house or car should never be loaded and accessible, Dr. Warmink said. The gun and the ammunition should be in separate locations and both places should be locked so the child won’t have access to them.

While a handgun or rifle can cause instant devastation, Dr. Warmink warns parents not to get complacent with pellet or BB guns.

“Pellet guns and BB guns can cause serious injuries, and we have seen deaths from them,” Dr. Warmink said. “It only takes one gunshot to the eye or chest for a kid’s life to be forever changed. A pellet gun into the heart or head can cause severe injury or even death.

Dr. Warmink does not mince words to who is responsible for a child-involved shooting – the adults are responsible for keeping guns out of the reach of children. He said some children, depending on age and maturity, won’t understand the finality of a gunshot wound.

"People talk about educating their children about guns, but young children can't comprehend how dangerous a gun is. With guns, it is not a matter of 'uh oh, I made a mistake, but will be smarter next time.' When it comes to gunshot wounds, you don't get a second chance," Dr. Warmink said.

*Data provided by the Trauma Registry of Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas.

About the Source

Corwin Warmink, M.D., is medical director of Cook Children's Emergency Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cook Children's Emergency Department (ED) treats more than 105,000 patients every year. Our ED is the only EMS-designated pediatric trauma center in Tarrant County. Now, thanks to years of dedication and hard work, Cook Children'sMedical Center has reached Level II Trauma Designation from the American College of Surgeons and the Department of State Health Services. Cook Children's Medical Center is one of nine such facilities in the state of Texas. Click to learn more.