Brady refreshes EndFamilyFire.org ahead of the holidays to push safe firearm storage where accidents rise

Relaunch timed for the season when accidental shootings climb

Brady, the national gun-violence-prevention group, quietly relaunched EndFamilyFire.org this week with a cleaner design and new tools aimed at helping families store firearms safely. The update arrives just before the holiday season, a time when experts say unintentional shootings and firearm mishaps historically go up. Brady says the timing is deliberate: more people are visiting relatives, children are home from school, and extra activity in houses can raise the odds that an unsecured gun will be handled by someone who shouldn’t have it.

The relaunch is a public-safety push rather than a political campaign. The group frames the updated site as a practical hub where gun owners can learn simple storage habits, find free or low-cost safety devices, and connect with local programs that distribute locks and safes. For families worried about accidents, the goal is clear: make it easier to lock up firearms before holiday visits and gatherings.

What the redesigned site offers — and how many people are already using it

The new EndFamilyFire.org focuses on fast, practical help. The homepage makes it simple to locate nearby resources by ZIP code, shows a searchable map of free-lock distribution points, and highlights short how-to videos that demonstrate locking options like cable locks and trigger locks.

There’s also a tool to order or request information about safe-storage kits, and a section aimed at clinicians and community groups with ready-to-print flyers and scripts for conversations about safety. The site language is plain and nonjudgmental: it emphasizes steps people can take today to reduce risks in their homes.

Brady points to steady traffic as evidence the work matters. The organization says the site drew roughly half a million visits last year, a sign that many people look for this kind of straightforward guidance. With the relaunch, Brady hopes to increase that reach, especially in communities with higher rates of unintentional incidents.

Why the holiday season matters: spikes in accidental shootings and household risk

Researchers and public-health officials track a seasonal pattern: certain weeks around holidays see more emergency-room visits tied to accidental firearm injuries. The reasons are not complicated. Houses fill up with visitors, children and teens shift routines, and people who don’t keep guns at home may bring them while traveling. A lapse in safe storage during any of those moments can lead to a tragic mistake.

That pattern is one reason safety advocates focus on the weeks before major holidays. Quick changes — like moving guns to a locked container, using a cable lock, or temporarily removing a firearm from a home — can materially lower the chance of a child or guest finding and handling a loaded weapon. The revamped site is meant to make those changes less awkward and easier to carry out.

Public-health groups also note that small investments in locks and simple changes in habits tend to reduce the number of accidental shootings reported by hospitals and police. The immediate aim of the relaunch is to turn seasonal awareness into concrete action at the household level.

How Brady is partnering to scale safe-storage outreach

The relaunch is paired with a set of partnerships designed to get devices and education into communities quickly. Brady says it is working with nonprofits, local law-enforcement agencies, public-health clinics, and community groups to stock and hand out free locking devices at pop-up events and through ongoing programs.

Some participating partners will run targeted outreach to pediatric clinics, substance-use programs and shelters — places where the need for safe storage messaging is high. Other collaborators include local governments that plan to include locks in holiday outreach or community safety fairs.

Brady also plans to share materials with schools and faith groups so volunteers can hand out locks and demonstrate their use in person. The combined aim is to create easy, local entry points for families who might otherwise not know where to get a lock or how to use one.

Simple steps families can take using EndFamilyFire.org right now

Use the site’s ZIP-code lookup to find nearby pick-up points or events offering free locks. Watch a short video on the site to see how each type of lock works before you try it. If your household needs a lock and can’t find one nearby, follow the site’s guidance for ordering or requesting help from a partner organization.

Share the site with relatives and hosts before holiday visits. A quick message to family or friends asking them to lock their firearms during a visit is a practical step the site models with sample wording and tips for respectful conversations.

Measuring impact and what to watch next

Brady says it will monitor site visits, the number of locks distributed, and the reach of partner events as early signs of success. Over time, public-health partners may look at emergency-room data and local incident reports to see if a noticeable dip in unintentional shootings follows concentrated outreach.

For reporters and readers who want to follow the story, the key metrics to watch this season are website traffic, lock distributions at pop-ups and clinics, and whether community groups scale similar programs in more neighborhoods. If the relaunch increases easy access to locks and changes a few habits in time for the holidays, that’s a practical win for families trying to reduce needless risks.

Sources

• prnewswire.com