Firearms can be very dangerous in the hands of an untrained person. The consequences can be catastrophic  leading to serious injury and possibly death. Thus, it is of critical importance that proper gun safety techniques be deployed whenever handling firearms. First and foremost, a person should be familiar with the mechanical features of a firearm. Knowledge of how it operates along with all of the parts of the gun is necessary prior to handling a firearm.

The "Golden Rule" during the handling on any firearm is to maintain the mindset that the gun is fully loaded and operational. Knowing that a discharge, accidental or otherwise, will have immediate effect is paramount to any other rule regarding the handling of a firearm. The following is a list of important rules in order to handle firearms in a safer manner:

• Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe a safe direction;
• Never place your finger inside of the trigger guard unless you are fully prepared to fire the gun;
• Make sure you can easily visualize an unimpeded target and have a clear picture of the area directly behind it;
•  Never discharge your firearm where there is a potential to injure an innocent civilian;
•  Keep your firearm loaded with the proper ammunition for the gun and until ready to utilize;
• Never handle a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, and/or prescription or non-prescription drugs;
• Regular cleaning and maintenance of your firearm is important. It should be cleaned after each time it is utilized;
• Be certain the firearm is completely unloaded prior to the commensuration of a cleaning or maintenance on the firearm;
• Store the firearm in a safe and secure area that is not accessible to children, the mentally incompetent, or other unauthorized persons;
• Utilize a gun safe and/or gun locks for added security against unauthorized touching or usage;
• Record the firearm make, model, description, identifying features and serial number and place that data in a separate location for easy retrieval;
• Quickly contact a law enforcement agency to report a stolen, lost or misplaced firearm;
• The safe and secure storage of any firearm is the direct responsibility of the gun owner.

As previously notated and of critical importance is the assumption that a firearm is always loaded!

Enjoy your Second Amendment right to bear arms, but do so in a diligent and safe manner.

Dr. Santarlas is a former Deputy Chief of Police in the State of Florida.