NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program Reaches 21 Millionth Child
2/13/08
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA - 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.
Through the years the program has been praised by numerous groups and elected officials, including the Association of American Educators, the Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. Department of Justice (through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency), and 26 state governors.
Funds raised through Friends of NRA and distributed through The NRA Foundation (
www.nrafoundation.org) enable budget-strapped schools and police departments to teach the program at minimal or no cost. The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun accident prevention awareness within their local communities. Schools, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and others interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, or persons who wish to see if free materials are available in their communities, should call the Eddie Eagle® Department at (800) 231-0752 or visit
www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/.
Media Contact:
Justin McDaniel (703) 267-1595
