News & Events

FIPP Tip November 2025

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Secure Firearm Storage During the Holidays​

The holiday season is just around the corner! This time of year presents several natural opportunities to engage your patients in conversations about the importance of secure firearm storage. 

Consider these possible discussion points:

Hunting Season: With regular deer hunting season in the Finger Lakes running from November 15 to December 7, it's an excellent time to gently inquire about how patients store their rifles and shotguns when they're not in use.

Holiday Visitors: Many patients will be hosting or visiting friends and family. For gun owners, a friendly reminder about secure storage is especially important when children and teenagers are present. For non-gun owners, empowering them with ways to initiate conversations about secure firearm storage when visiting others can be incredibly helpful.

Gifts: Is a patient considering purchasing a firearm as a gift, or perhaps passing down a treasured family heirloom? This is an ideal moment to ensure that secure storage solutions are part of that gift, and to provide resources about the legal aspects surrounding firearm inheritance.

Suicide Prevention: The holidays can be a particularly challenging emotional period for some. If you have patients at increased risk for severe depression or suicide during this time, it's critical to remind them (and their loved ones) of options for temporarily removing firearms from the home to prevent self-harm or harm to others.

Do you have questions or need help finding resources about secure firearm storage? Visit our website at fipp@urmc.edu or contact us at Preventing_Firearm_Injury@urmc.rochester.edu

As always, please remember that the FIPP Team has free cable gun locks available for distribution to your patients.  If you are interested and have completed our Firearm Injury Prevention training, please have your clinic leader contact us.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!