Erlanger plans to distribute approximately 2,600 cable locks and safety cards by the end of 2026.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Erlanger Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN), is now providing firearm safety information cards and free cable locks to every parent of babies born at the hospital, helping families make secure storage part of baby-proofing the home.
“With a toddler at home, and then with a newborn who becomes a toddler in the blink of an eye, we absolutely think secure storage is necessary,” said Chattanooga mom Hallie Haley. “I think it’s one of the crucial parts of babyproofing the house. It’s actually the most important part.”
Pediatric trauma surgeon and Safer TN board member Dr. Dave Bhattacharya said the goal is to make secure storage as routine as using a car seat or installing cabinet locks.
“[Accessing a firearm] may not be an issue right now while your child is in the bassinet,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “But as they start crawling and walking, there are opportunities for them to be safer.”
Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, and Tennessee ranks third in the nation for accidental shootings by children, with victims most often children themselves.
Erlanger plans to distribute approximately 2,600 cable locks and safety cards by the end of 2026.
Voices for a Safer Tennessee partnered with the hospital and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to supply the locks and educational materials.
About Erlanger Children’s Hospital
Erlanger Children’s Hospital, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, provides comprehensive pediatric care to families across the region and is committed to advancing child health through prevention, education, and clinical excellence.
About Voices for a Safer Tennessee
Safer TN is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with nearly 35,000 supporters in all 95 counties, committed to firearm safety efforts that protect our communities and respect the Second Amendment.
Soundbites included at this link:
Hallie Haley, Chattanooga mom
0:12 “With a toddler at home, and then with a newborn who becomes a toddler in the blink of an eye, we absolutely think it’s necessary and think it’s one of the crucial parts of babyproofing the house. It’s actually the most important part.”
0:10 ”I think it’s wonderful that they give them to you, that you can take them home, and that then you can use them immediately in the first week. As you’re babyproofing your home and thinking through everything, it’s a perfect thing to do.”
0:10 “It’s great for new parents. It makes it on the forefront of their mind when maybe they’re thinking about everything else. If it’s in your hands and in your home, you know that you’re going to put it into place and make use of it.”
0:12 “Please do it. You don’t want to not do it, and then regret it for the rest of your life. Voices for a Safer Tennessee is making it easier, and making it better for all the families involved,
just like us.”
Dr. Dave Bhattacharya, Erlanger Children’s Pediatric Trauma Surgeon
0:10 “It may not be an issue right now while your child’s in the bassinet, but as they start crawling and walking and interacting with other people and interacting with your home there are opportunities for them to be safer.”
0:12 “It’s very similar to the other health initiatives that we do for newborns — making sure that your child’s in a safe seat, making sure that you have a home safety plan, and part of your home safety plan is making sure that your firearm is locked up.”
0:11 “Encountering an unsecured firearm in the home is one of the most dangerous things your children can do. As you may know, it’s the number one cause of death in the United States for children under seventeen.”
