a comprehensive approach to firearms safety

Firearms Safety Now on DVD

It seems like it was just a few years ago when, if you browsed the shelves of your local movie rental store, DVDs occupied very little wall space. It's not that way anymore. In fact, if you still have a VCR at home, it's probably collecting dust along with your turntable and vinyl record collection. DVDs are the preferred format these days. On them you get to see "special features" like interviews with the actors, behind-the-scenes set production, history behind the story—whatever the extras may be, the DVD doesn't end with the movie—and we've come to expect those bonuses.

At National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), we're always "shooting for more" ways to provide learning tools that promote a better understanding of hunting and the shooting sports. NSSF has a vast library of safety and conservation literature and video programs on conservation, hunter ethics and firearms safety.

To keep up with the times, we've now created a new, enhanced safety DVD for children and adults -- an ideal, comprehensive, firearms safety-awareness package.

The DVD is a compilation of NSSF's three firearms safety video programs, "McGruff the Crime Dog on Gun Safety," for grades K-6, "It's Your Call: Playing It Safe Around Guns," for grades 6-9, and the general-audience program, "Firearms Safety Depends On You," and provides interactive access to online safety resources and PDFs. These resources include the safety brochures, "Firearms Responsibility in the Home," "A Parent's Guide to Recreational Shooting for Youngsters" and "Firearms Safety Depends On You" (the companion booklet to the same-titled video).

Discussion guides for the two youth programs and safety pledges are also part of the online resources available. These guides help encourage dialogue between children and adults on the themes and messages presented in the programs. A print version is included in the DVD package.

The "McGruff" program, for young children, stars the popular safety mascot McGruff the Crime Dog. This well-recognized character among elementary school children has a heart-to-heart talk with his nephew Scruff about gun safety, alerting him to the dangers of playing with guns. The second youth program, "It's Your Call: Playing It Safe Around Guns," offers a more "hip" approach that relates well to the middle school-aged group. It presents scenarios in which youths learn how to make responsible decisions should they find themselves in an unsafe situation with firearms. "Firearms Safety Depends On You" acts out the 10 rules of firearms safety for all responsible gun owners to understand, review often and practice always.

The Firearms Safety Compilation DVD costs $10, a true value for such a comprehensive package. It's easy to order a copy. Simply complete an order form or call NSSF's Safety Education Services Department at 203-426-1320.

Whatever the choice, be sure you have a copy on hand. It's an ideal "in-the-home" review on firearms safety for families to include in their DVD library. Of course, all three video programs are still available from NSSF in VHS format at $5 each, for those of you who still use VCRs.