Safe Storage Program

Supported by the Legislature, the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention received $1 million in state funding to support safe storage programs and suicide prevention outreach and education efforts across Washington.

Violence prevention and safe storage

About four in ten U.S. adults report they live in a household with a gun. Safe firearm storage means keeping guns unloaded, locked and separate from ammunition in a secure location. Research also indicates that removing access to a firearm decreases the likelihood of firearm-related suicide. One study found that in most of King County’s youth suicide deaths are from firearms and youth obtained the weapon from a family member. In roughly a third of cases, the weapon was stored unlocked or loaded.

All of this indicates the need for continued efforts to require or encourage secure storage of firearms. Washington law allows those in crisis to voluntarily, and temporarily store their firearms and allows for a voluntary waiver of firearm rights. (RCW 9.41.350)

Washington law doesn’t directly require that a firearm be stored in a particular place or in a particular way. But a person who fails to securely store a firearm could be charged with a crime under certain circumstances. (RCW 9.41.360) For this purpose, secure storage is defined as “A locked box, gun safe, or other secure locked storage space that is designed to prevent unauthorized use or discharge of a firearm.” (RCW 9.41.010(39)(a))

Washington law further requires that when selling or transferring any firearm, every dealer shall offer to sell or give the purchaser or transferee a secure gun storage device, or a trigger lock or similar device that is designed to prevent the unauthorized use or discharge of the firearm.” (RCW 9.41.365(1))

Safe storage strategies

The Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention received state funds this biennium to support safe storage programs and suicide prevention outreach and education efforts across the state.

This funding is being used to enhance collaboration with health care providers, Veterans, law enforcement, schools, firearms dealers and communities statewide. It also aims to expand, leverage, and assess current safe storage initiatives. OFSVP has allocated the funding as follows:

• Public Health Seattle & King County, Lock It Up program serving Kitsap, Island, Snohomish, Chelan, Douglas, Jefferson, Thurston, Pierce, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, and Grant Counties.
• Seattle Children’s Hospital, Safe Firearm Storage Program serving communities statewide.
• WA Department of Veterans Affairs serving veteran communities statewide.

The Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention received state funds this biennium to support safe storage programs and suicide prevention outreach and education efforts across the state. This funding is being used to enhance collaboration with health care providers, Veterans, law enforcement, schools, firearms dealers and communities statewide. It also aims to expand, leverage, and assess current safe storage initiatives. OFSVP has allocated the funding as follows:

• Public Health Seattle & King County, Lock It Up program serving Kitsap, Island, Snohomish, Chelan, Douglas, Jefferson, Thurston, Pierce, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, and Grant Counties.
• Seattle Children’s Hospital, Safe Firearm Storage Program serving communities statewide.
• WA Department of Veterans Affairs serving veteran communities statewide.

OFSVP contracted with the University of Washington Center for Firearm Injury Prevention to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of the safe storage programs to support future outreach and education strategies. In 2024-2025, 39 safe storage events were held throughout Washington state, and 15,644 safe storage devices were distributed.

Resources