The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, NRA's groundbreaking gun accident prevention program for children, has surpassed yet another milestone, reaching its 21 millionth child since 1988.
Created by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with child psychologists, elementary schoolteachers, and law enforcement officers, the program gives children in pre-K through the third grade a simple, effective action to take should they encounter a firearm in an unsupervised setting: "If you see a gun: STOP! Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult."
"The steady decline in the number of firearm-related accidents among young children since the launch of the Eddie Eagle program is a testament to the program's effectiveness, and to the 21 million children we've been able to reach," said Kayne Robinson, executive director of NRA general operations. "The history of this program is filled with stories of children who have avoided firearm accidents because they were exposed to Eddie Eagle's live-saving message."
Volunteers for the Eddie Eagle program come from diverse backgrounds but share a common commitment to protecting children from gun accidents. They include NRA members, schoolteachers, law enforcement officers, and community activists who teach the program, plus private donors and Friends of NRA participants who raise funds to pay for the program's educational materials.
More than 26,000 educators, law enforcement agencies, and civic organizations have taught the program since 1988.
"Our community partnership with the Eddie Eagle program has been very successful in teaching gun safety to our young children," said Sheriff Kevin Beary of the Orange County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office. "It is one of our most important prevention programs that we have proudly used in Orange County for over 20 years. Now is the time for more agencies to team up with Eddie Eagle and make their communities a safer place."
Indeed, the partnership between law enforcement and Eddie Eagle has proven to be very effective. In fact, just last year, NRA offered free Eddie Eagle materials to more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies, resulting in enough materials being requested to reach more than 670,000 children.
If you're interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, including whether free materials are available in your community, visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/.
