It takes a few seconds to safely store a gun and save a child's life.

"We’re sorry, we did everything we could." A bullet has senselessly taken the life of another child whose full potential has not been realized. All the training, technology and sheer will put into saving their life wasn't enough. The medical team once again blinks back tears as the unfortunate news is delivered to the family. The family's grief all too familiar.

As a pediatric emergency medicine physician and a trauma surgeon, we know giving bad news to families comes with the job. However, it should not be because a child found an unsecured firearm and shot themselves or another child.

No family believes injuries related to guns will happen to them. The reality is these injuries can happen to anyone at any time, and the statistics prove it. In 2020, firearm-related injuries of all types (homicide, accidental, suicide and undetermined) became the leading cause of death in children and adolescents (aged 1-19), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1993, Riley Hospital for Children has treated 503 children for gunshot injuries. That includes 19 so far this year. Those numbers do not include the children who never made it to the hospital.

Too often these injuries are preventable. The statistics are alarming. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):

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Taking preventive measures and educating your children about gun safety can help change the statistics. We all know wearing a seatbelt can save a life. Simple measures taken to secure a firearm can save lives, too. Here's what you can do today.

Safely store your firearms. Thinking your gun is out of reach by placing it on a high closet shelf or in the nightstand isn't enough for children who are often curious and get into things they should not get into. Firearms should be secured with a gun lock and the ammunition stored separately. An even better solution is in a locked safe or lock box with the ammunition stored separately. Families who need gun locks can receive two free locks from the Indiana University School of Medicine Safety Store within the Riley Hospital for Children Outpatient Center. No questions will be asked.

Talk to your family and friends about safely storing firearms. It's not enough to keep your firearms secure at home. Talk to your relatives, friends and even the parents of your child's friends about how their firearms are stored. In our nearly 20 years of practice, we have seen multiple children who have been accidentally shot at a relative's or friend's house. Absolutely no one intends for it to happen. Taking the extra five minutes to have that conversation empowers you to make the decisions that keep your child safe.

Talk to your children about firearm safety. The phrase, "guns are not toys," is overused and has no weight behind it. Talk to your children about how guns can seriously hurt your child or someone else. Ask them to find an adult to secure the firearm if they come across one. There are several resources to help you talk to children about gun safety including AAP's HealthyChildren.org, the National Rifle Association Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program and ProjectChildSafe.org.

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Preventing firearm related injuries will require a multi-faceted approach with individuals, communities and health care providers working together. A gun found by a child can change lives forever in just a few seconds. In just a few seconds, that firearm could have been locked or stored in safe place. Please, take those few seconds and save a life.

Dr. Matt Landman is the trauma medical director for Riley Children's Health. Dr. Cory Showalter is the regional medical director and interim chief, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine for Riley Children's Health.