A gun prevention program is teaching kids the importance of gun safety. Local officials and gun experts are encouraging kids to do their part.
Does your child know what to do if he or she finds a gun?
“Stop, don’t touch, turn around and tell a grown up,” said Journey Strilcov, a Mandan resident.
This approach is critical for kids to know, especially at their age. Which is why Prairie Patriot is presenting Eddie Eagle GunSafe program for kids four through nine years old. It’s a gun accident prevention program developed by the NRA, teaching kids how to react to guns.
“A lot of people around here do shoot guns. But when you don’t know about it and you hide it and you lie about it then they are curious what makes them go touch and do things they shouldn’t do,” said Brandy Eckroth, the manager at Prairie Patriot.
Kids got a chance to interact with officials from both the Mandan Police Department and Morton County Sheriff Department.
There are many reasons why a child could be exposed to a gun, and officials say video games play a role.
“With the advancements of video games, and one of the most popular types of video games are shooter video games. Kids are learning about firearms through video games and if you are not talking to them about firearms and the difference between real life and video games, then that is going to be a disconnect,” said Dominic Hanson, an officer with Mandan Police Department.
Having that talk with your kids as early as possible can prevent senseless shootings.
Prairie Patriot will hold the Eddie Eagle session every other month. The sessions are free and last about half an hour.
If you did not attend the session click here to watch the Eddie Eagle video.