POLK COUNTY, Iowa — Throughout the U.S., gun-related injuries are now the leading cause of death for children and teens, according to CDC data.
Polk County hasn't been spared from the nationwide statistics., and health officials are now bringing the issue to the forefront.
"We talk about car seat safety and the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet, but we aren’t talking about guns," said Helen Eddy, Director of the Polk County Health Department. "It’s time for our community to come together to address this public health issue.”
Local officials unveiled their new gun safety initiative Tuesday morning, called "Talk it Up, Lock it Up". Officials are strongly encouraging families to have conversations with children about gun safety and ensure that any guns kept in the home are stored safely.
“45% of firearm deaths occurred at home in Polk County,” said Angela Connolly with the Polk County Board of Supervisors.
Dr. Jessica Zuzga-Reed, a pediatric intensive care physician at Mercy One, has seen the impacts of an accidental shooting on multiple occasions. She wants other parents to know about the dangers not only within their own home, but those of others, too.
"If you are a parent, the chances are one in three that your child will be going to a house where there are firearms," Zuzga-Reed shared. "It's important that you ask your friends and family, 'Do you have a firearm in your home? Is it locked? Is it separate from its ammunition and is it in a safe and unloaded?"
Nationally, firearms accounted for nearly 19% of childhood deaths (ages 1-18) in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wonder database.
As part of the campaign, Polk County is now giving away free trigger locks that keep guns from accidentally firing. They can be picked up from the Polk County Health Department or from a local law enforcement agency.