Forrest Health Promotes Safe Firearm Storage, Offers Free Gun Locks to Prevent Injuries

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (April 28, 2026) – Forrest Health is encouraging families across South Mississippi to take simple, but critical, steps to safely secure firearms by sharing guidance from medical and law enforcement professionals and announcing new resources aimed at preventing accidental injuries.

Dr. Duncan Donald, Medical Director of Trauma Services at Forrest General Hospital, says firearm-related injuries remain a significant concern in trauma care.

“Roughly 10 to 15 percent of the patients we treat are injured as a result of firearms,” said Dr. Donald. “Many of those injuries are preventable, especially when it comes to accidental discharges in the home.”

According to Dr. Donald, accidental shootings often occur when individuals are cleaning or storing a firearm and do not realize it is loaded.

“Since 2020, firearm injuries have increased about 30 percent across Mississippi, and we’ve seen that impact firsthand,” said Dr. Donald, who also serves on the state’s Trauma Advisory Committee. “According to the CDC, Mississippi has a higher gun death per capita than any state in the nation. That’s why it’s so important for families to take basic safety precautions.”

“As the state’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Trauma Center, part of our mission is to be sure to reach out to people about injury prevention – how can we make sure that people don’t get injured to start with? We’re here and always ready, available to care for you if you do get injured, but we prefer for you not to get injured to begin with.”

Lt. Jeromy Robb with the Forrest General Police Department says many of these incidents come down to access and responsibility.

“The vast majority of these incidents are preventable,” Robb said. “The way you prevent these situations is by denying access. If a firearm is properly secured, it significantly reduces the risk of accidental injury.”

Robb emphasized that simple safety measures can make a meaningful difference.

Firearms should always be stored unloaded, locked, and out of reach of children, with ammunition stored separately. Using devices such as gun locks, safes, or lockboxes adds an important layer of protection and can significantly reduce the risk of accidental injury.

As part of its commitment to community safety and injury prevention, Forrest Health is launching a new initiative to provide free trigger locks to community members. These trigger locks are designed to prevent firearms from being discharged unintentionally and help reduce access by children or unauthorized users. The healthcare system is also working to develop a gun safety class that will be offered to the public in the near future.

“The best way to treat an injury is to prevent it from happening in the first place,” Dr. Donald said. “If we can help families take that extra step to secure their firearms, we can help save lives.”

Gun Safety Tips for Families

• Store firearms locked and unloaded at all times
• Keep firearms out of reach and sight of children
• Store ammunition separately
• Use a gun lock, safe, or lockbox
• Talk to children about gun safety
• Ask about unsecured firearms in other homes
• Never play with a gun
• Never point a gun at someone

Forrest Health remains committed to promoting safety, education, and injury prevention throughout South Mississippi.

Community members can request a free gun lock and learn more about upcoming safety resources by visiting Forresthealth.org .