Why Homes with Guns Need a Gun Safe

It doesn’t matter if you are at home or out and about in the car, if you have a gun and you have children you need a gun safe. In the last month Associated Press has reported three child shooting fatalities. Fatalities, which could have been averted if hand guns had been kept in some type of gun safe. 

PBS-001 Biometric Pistol Safe

This month a three year old in Tacoma fatally shot himself in the head with a pistol put under the seat when his father went to pump gas. There are gun safes suitable for use in motor vehicles and in many instances a biometric gun safe is the perfect answer. Had the weapon been kept in a biometric gun safe in the car this tragedy would not have happened and the father would not be facing possible manslaughter charges. In Washington State it is legal for permit holders to carry a concealed weapon on their person. But, if left in a car the gun must be locked, preferably in a gun safe and concealed from view. 

PDO RG16C Gun Safe

Two other child deaths were reported around the same time. A seven year old daughter of a police officer shot in the car by a sibling and a 8 year old girl critically wounded when a gun discharged inside the backpack of a 9 year old boy. A biometric gun safe in the car and a gun safe at home would have provided the gun security missing with these fatalities.

Home or Office Wall Safe PWS 1814E

The use of a biometric gun safe in motor vehicles allows quick access to a gun in an emergency while keeping the gun secure. For the home there are multiple types of safes suitable for use as a gun safe. There are gun safes specifically made for long guns and pistols. Fireproof home safes come in many sizes and are perfect for use as a gun safe and there is a safe for all budgets. Wall safes and floor safes are also used as gun safes and provide the added security of stealth when securing guns from inquisitive children. If yours is one of the 40% of US homes with guns and one of the 50% that doesn’t have a gun safe now is the time to purchase a gun safe and give children the security they deserve.

About Fireproof Safes

Fireproof safes have an insulated body and doors designed to protect the safe contents from high temperatures or actual fire. In addition fireproof safes may be rated for impact resistance should the safe fall during a fire. Fireproof safes are rated according to how they perform at a constant outside temperature and the maximum internal temperature they can maintain. These class ratings are used in conjunction with the time the internal temperature can be maintained. Typically a Class 350 UL rated fireproof safe will sustain an internal temperature of 350^o F at 80% humidity and dependant on the construction can maintain the temperature for periods ranging from half an hour to four hours.

Fireproof safes for home are typically smaller than those used in business. Depending on individual requirements fireproof safes for business may be suitable for home use. Floor safes installed in concrete provide excellent fire resistance. Fireproof safes can be separated into two main categories, data safes designed to protect computer media and document safes designed to store paper products. Fireproof Data safes maintain an internal temperature no greater than 131^o at constant external temperature of 1830^o F while fireproof safes for documents maintain an internal temperature no greater than 351^o F at a constant external temperature of 1,830^o F. These conditions are maintained for the duration of the test and usually last 30 minutes but as stated earlier can last longer dependant on the safes construction. In the United States, Underwriter Laboratories (UL) do both the writing of standards and the actual testing of fireproof safes.

To protect valuable guns fireproof safes for guns ideally should be rated for one hour at 1250 degrees F and in the event of fire have a heat actived door seal to seal out smoke and water. Fireproof safes are also available for pistols with fingerprint burglary safes offering 30 minutes of fire protection.