Starting this week, Milwaukee fire stations will be offering free gun locks to the public.
The gun lock giveaway is being done through a partnership between the Milwaukee Fire Department, the city's Office of Violence Prevention and the Milwaukee County Division of Behavioral Health, WDJT-TV reports. Officials hope that access to locks will prevent accidental injuries or deaths, as well as suicides.
"For youths, the risk of dying by suicide is four to ten times higher in homes with guns," Nzinga Khalid of the Division of Behavioral Health told WDJT. "At BHD, we are committed to prevention. By distributing gun locks, we hope to prevent these tragedies."
Along with gun locks being available at fire stations, firefighter will be able to distribute them at emergency scenes.
