Pause to Protect doesn’t just talk about gun safety—it acts on it. Founded by multidisciplinary experts at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, this initiative invites firearms retailers and owners to take direct steps that protect lives.
What Pause to Protect Stands For
At its core, Pause to Protect empowers businesses and individuals to choose safety by offering practical tools and guidance. They share free educational materials and partner with firearm stores and ranges to provide secure storage options—everything from on-site lockboxes to distributing gun locks and safes for home use.
They don’t push mandates or government overreach. Instead, they offer voluntary best practices backed by technical support and standard operating procedures to reduce theft, suicide, accidental shootings, and youth access.
Why Every Firearm Owner Can Get Behind It
Pause to Protect doesn’t rely on fear or polarization. It recognizes that secure storage isn’t a political flashpoint—it’s common sense. Firearm businesses near military bases and beyond agree: offering secure storage or discounted walk‑away solutions offers peace of mind for everyone—owners and public alike.
And it gets results. By connecting veterans, families, and firearm owners with resources, the program steps off the angry rhetoric and into real-world action—addressing suicide and accidental injury head‑on.
How It Works—Clear, Simple, Effective
Pause to Protect builds practical toolkits. Their website provides:
- Free resources for retailers to train staff and inform customers
- Templates and guides for implementing secure storage
- Monetary stipends to businesses near military installations that commit to secure storage options
Businesses can choose what fits them—hand out gun locks, designate in-store lockboxes, or just educate customers. The initiative gives them the guidance and support they need, so participation feels manageable, not overwhelming.
Measurable Impact, Not Just Momentum
Pause to Protect doesn’t chase headlines. They track progress. Their network of partners grows steadily, and the resources they offer clearly aim to prevent tragedies—from stolen firearms being used in crime to impulsive suicides that spiral in seconds.
By reinforcing responsible storage practices as part of everyday firearm culture, the program blends the two sides of the gun debate. Pro‑Second Amendment voices see it as empowerment—not restriction. Public safety advocates see reduced risk. Win‑win.
Serving Those Who Serve
While the program is open to all, it places a special focus on military communities. According to the Department of Defense, 523 service members died by suicide in 2023. Firearms were involved in 65% of suicides among active-duty Soldiers, 61% of spouse suicides, and 43% among dependents.
Research shows that suicide attempts can happen within five to ten minutes of the decision. Increasing time and distance from a firearm—like storing it offsite or locking it unloaded—can give a person in crisis a chance to survive and get help.
“In that at-risk moment, if someone is able to reach for a gun, they’re much more likely to die,” said Dr. Emmy Betz, Director of Firearm Injury Prevention at CU Anschutz in recent video (see above). “The same is true if there’s a domestic violence circumstance or if there’s a kid who has access to an unsecured gun.”
Betz emphasizes the point:
“Firearms are intended to be lethal, and so when they’re handled improperly or by someone who’s in crisis, the risk of death is much higher… Secure storage can prevent injury and death.”
That’s the central message of Pause to Protect: secure storage means protecting the family, the community, and the rights of responsible gun owners all at once.
Pause to Protect now partners with dozens of retailers—many near military installations—to offer free or low-cost storage for service members and their families. Hundreds more have signed on to consider temporary storage upon request.
Who Funds It—and Who Doesn’t
The initiative receives support from the Department of Defense’s Defense Suicide Prevention Office and USAA’s Face the Fight Foundation.
But the federal government does not control the program or collect data on participants. The goal is empowerment—not surveillance.
What Comes Next?
Pause to Protect is already expanding beyond military neighborhoods. They aim to scale nationwide. They plan research collaborations to measure real outcomes, not just downloads or sign‑ups.
And, they want to show that voluntary, community-based action can prevent injuries more effectively than extremes at either end of the political spectrum.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a gun owner, a retailer, a veteran, or simply someone who cares about keeping families safe—Pause to Protect is your invitation to take real, meaningful action. This isn’t about politics; it’s about personal responsibility and community strength.
Visit pausetoprotect.org to get involved, download tools, or start the conversation at your shop or range. Every lock, every pause, every step you take can help save a life.
Join the effort—because safety starts with us.
[H/T US Army]
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