Violence Policy Center Recommendations for Securing Firearms and Ammunition During Disasters

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Violence Policy Center Recommendations for Securing Firearms and Ammunition During Disasters

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:09:08 PM EDT

Thought you fellers would enjoy this:

As another potentially devastating hurricane barrels toward the U.S., the VPC offers a series of recommendations to ensure that large inventories of guns and ammunition held by local Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders are secure in order to prevent the gun violence that marred rescue and recovery efforts in New Orleans in the wake of Katrina.

"Emergency officials who prepared Louisiana's plan for responding to a major hurricane never guessed that one of their duties would be to protect aid workers from gunmen, one of the state's senior disaster officials said Monday....

No disaster planner, he said, predicted that people would loot gun stores after the storm and shoot at police, rescue officials and helicopters."

"Disaster official at NY symposium: Planners didn't anticipate gun problem after Katrina," Associated Press, September 12, 2005

To prevent the gun violence that wreaked havoc on rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Violence Policy Center offers a series of policy recommendations to ensure that firearms and ammunition in the control of the nation's 60,000 Federal Firearms License holders (FFLs) is secured against theft and looting in the event of an emergency situation.

Implement Minimum Safety and Security Standards for Gun Stores and Pawn Shops

Under current law, gun dealers are under no obligation to ensure that their inventories of firearms and ammunition are securely stored, not even in the event of an emergency evacuation or disaster area declaration. The lack of secure storage requirements virtually guarantees the likelihood that firearms and ammunition will be looted in the wake of a major natural disaster, riot, or terrorist attack.

Maybe not if we start shooting looters.

Congress should require the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to implement permanent, minimum safety and security standards for windows, doors, storage areas, containers, safes, alarms, etc. in all licensed gun stores, pawn shops and other retailers that sell firearms, e.g. Walmarts.

Institute Special Security Rules for Emergencies

Permanent security requirements should be augmented with additional safeguards to be activated in the event of an emergency. For example, a requirement that large retailers temporarily turn their firearm and ammunition inventories over to local law enforcement authorities or remove them from the area in the event of a mandatory evacuation order would prevent a recurrence of the situation that transpired in New Orleans where looters emptied the gun department of the local Walmart and plundered gun stores.

Notify Law Enforcement Agencies of Inventories of Especially Lethal Firearms and Ammunition

In the event of a terrorist attack, riot, or severe storm like Katrina, local law enforcement should have specific information regarding which gun dealers have in their inventories firearms that pose a particular threat to public safety. Dealers who sell machine guns, assault weapons, 50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles, or armor-piercing ammunition should be required to submit information on the make, model, and number of such weapons in their inventories to local law enforcement agencies on a regular basis.

Tighten Reporting Requirements for Stolen and Missing Firearms

Current federal law requires FFLs to report to law enforcement authorities the theft or loss of a firearm within 48 hours of discovery of the loss. This weak standard allows dealers to use virtually any reason as an excuse for failure to "discover" that a gun is missing. This requirement should be strengthened to shorten the elapsed time to 24 hours and require that the report be made when a firearm is "discovered or should have been discovered" to be missing.

Establish Enhanced Penalties for Using a Firearm to Impede Emergency Operations

Individuals who fire at emergency and rescue personnel who are engaged in rescue and recovery operations should be subject to enhanced jail sentences.

www.vpc.org/hurricane.htm

Essentially, we need to increase the costs of being an FFL, we need the cops to have the ability to round up all of the "evil" guns ASAP, and we need more paperwork for the FFLs. Oh yes, and we need tougher jail sentences for those shooting at cops. Like that is not already a fairly serious crime.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:11:11 PM EDT

[#1]

People were raiding police station armories and supposedly trying to get into NG armories.

Yeah, giving everything to the .gov will work.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:18:10 PM EDT

[#2]

requirement that large retailers temporarily turn their firearm and ammunition inventories over to local law enforcement authorities

Hmmmmm, that would require police to have facilities to store ALL privately owned firearms available at all times. How convenient would that be....

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:19:11 PM EDT

[#3]

These stores were already "secure"... Aside from a full fort knox treatment, there isn't much you can do against some asshole driving a truck or front end loader through the front of your store.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:22:03 PM EDT

[#4]

Secure all firearms... on your person or on the members of your neighborhood militia.

Keep all ammunition stored safely out of reach of children... in high-cap magazines.

Thats my disaster firearm safety plan.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:32:17 PM EDT

[#5]

The VPC can blow me.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:38:39 PM EDT

[#6]

Fuggin A!!!....

I say we support them 100%

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:38:57 PM EDT

[#7]

50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles

It just seems like "Space Shuttle" should be integrated somewhere in that sentence.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:39:50 PM EDT

[#8]

I'll secure mine with a firm grip, correct stance, and solid sight picture.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:47:20 PM EDT

[#9]

Can you only picture the entire ARF army with all guns and ammo in tow standing in front of their local PD office trying to secure their stuff during a storm!

Blow me is right.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:51:21 PM EDT

[#10]

Why does the VPC have to hate so much?

I'm not feeling the love, VPC!

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:59:06 PM EDT

[#11]

Since they are in the business of giving out post-hurricane survival tips now... did they also mention anything about how to protect yourself and your property from armed looters when half the police force runs away and the other half is filling their own shopping carts?

Posted: 9/22/2005 1:07:49 PM EDT

[#12]

FYI: As of a few days ago the local Wal-Mart still had no guns or ammo in the store I went into. This is in the Baton Rouge area which is about 70 miles north of New Orleans.

Posted: 9/22/2005 1:08:06 PM EDT

[#13]

Why not just require the business owners to disable the firearms by removing a critical component ie bolt or firing pin prior to leaving them in an evacuated area.

Posted: 9/22/2005 1:09:44 PM EDT

[#14]

How about the firearms that were stolen from the Police???

Posted: 9/22/2005 1:12:32 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
I'll secure mine with a firm grip, correct stance, and solid sight picture.

Absolutely.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:09:45 PM EDT

[#16]

My understanding is that Walmarts have removed guns, ammo, and knives from their stores "for the duration of the emergency" in the affected areas.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:14:02 PM EDT

[#17]

I wonder if the VPC will ever join this place we call "the real world".

Doubtful... I don't think their form of reasoning and logic could keep them alive long in this place.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:23:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles

It just seems like "Space Shuttle" should be integrated somewhere in that sentence.

Terrorists may try and use them to shoot down the Space Shuttle...

...while it's in orbit.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:24:12 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
My understanding is that Walmarts have removed guns, ammo, and knives from their stores "for the duration of the emergency" in the affected areas.

That does not help much when they are looted...err..."shopped"... after the fact by the bad guys...but you knew that already.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:28:52 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
My understanding is that Walmarts have removed guns, ammo, and knives from their stores "for the duration of the emergency" in the affected areas.

Ammunition sales were banned during the Los Angeles ~~riots~~ expression of civic concern. It was then that I started keepnig a 'reasonable' amount of ammunition, spare parts, spare weapons, etc on hand.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:31:21 PM EDT

[#21]

I appreciate their concern, but personally, I have already made alternate plans.

Posted: 9/22/2005 4:33:31 PM EDT

[#22]

VPC is the organizational equivalent of tits on a bowling ball

Posted: 9/22/2005 5:21:39 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
I appreciate their concern, but personally, I have already made alternate plans.

The VPC does not approve of your plans, and demands that you turn in your guns to the authorities and proceed to the nearest government suggested shelter where you will be safe and cared for...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Violence Policy Center Recommendations for Securing Firearms and Ammunition During Disasters

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us