Guest Editorial – Firearms Safety (4/12/10) - WDRB 41 Louisville - News, Weather, Sports Community

Guest Editorial – Firearms Safety (4/12/10)

Hello, my name is Ken Pagano.

As a volunteer police chaplain, there are just some calls to which I would rather not respond. And as a certified firearms instructor, I am concerned by the recent firearms related deaths of two young men in our community.

As adults, we assume that when young people reach a certain age that curiosity and hormones will kick in -- hence our stress on teaching safe sex. Yet as adults, we have failed to recognize that youthful curiosity and firearms are just as dangerous.

When dealing with young people and firearms we can never make such naïve assumptions. As responsible adults, we must make sure that firearms are safely secured away from unauthorized persons. Everyone should know to treat all firearms as loaded and never point them at anything they are not willing to destroy. And as surely as children need to be taught to dial 911 in case of an emergency, not to get into a car with a stranger or to stop drop and roll if on fire, they should also know that if they find a gun they should 

Stop; don't touch it, leave the area and tell an adult. 

When dealing with firearms, knowledge is our best defense.

I'm Ken Pagano, and this is my…Point of View.