Erlanger Children's Hospital in Chattanooga has expanded its approach to firearm safety by providing every new parent with free cable locks and safety information cards as part of routine hospital care. The hospital is now distributing locks at all emergency department and labor and delivery locations, integrating gun safety into the newborn babyproofing process.
The initiative, conducted in partnership with Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN), represents an innovative approach to firearm safety by reaching parents at a critical moment when they are thinking about protecting their children from household hazards. The program provides firearm safety information cards alongside practical tools to secure weapons.
Public health research demonstrates that new parents represent a key audience for firearm safety messaging, as they are actively engaged in childproofing their homes. By offering free locks and information at the hospital, Erlanger reduces barriers to adoption of safe storage practices and normalizes the conversation about firearm security among households with young children.
Firearms remain a leading cause of unintentional injury and death for children and adolescents in the United States. Studies consistently show that secure storage—keeping firearms unloaded and locked with ammunition stored separately—significantly reduces risks of unintentional injuries, child access incidents, and firearm suicides among youth.
The hospital's expansion of the program reflects growing recognition within the healthcare community that firearm safety is a pediatric health issue. Many pediatric medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, now recommend that healthcare providers counsel parents on safe firearm storage as part of routine well-child visits.
Erlanger's approach exemplifies how healthcare systems can serve as community partners in firearm violence prevention, leveraging trusted relationships with patients and families to support adoption of protective practices.