Firearm Messages for Testing

Firearms Messaging & Asset Development

Attachment 4: FA I&D Messages for Testing

OMB Control No. 0920-1154

Exp. Date 3/31/2026

Firearm Injury and Death (FA I&D) Messages for Testing

FA I&D Messages

Big idea 1: We all want and deserve healthy and safe communities, but firearm violence threatens our health and safety, and it harms some groups (those with risk factors) more than others.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 1:

1. Main message: You see yourself in a community with safe schools, parks, and streets, but firearm violence threatens that vision.

   1. Alt: You want to lead a healthy and safe life, but for many of us, gun violence gets in the way.

   2. Alt: Firearm-related deaths—both accidental and intentional—put your vision for a safe and healthy community at risk.

   3. Alt: You and your neighbors have a right to lead a safe and healthy life, but if someone gets shot in your community, we’re all less safe.

   4. Alt. You and your neighbors have a right to lead a safe and healthy life, but if someone gets shot in your neighborhood, you’re all less safe.

   1. Supporting message: And our young people overwhelmingly bear the brunt of this threat.

      1. Alt: And young people suffer more than any other group.

      2. Alt: And young people suffer more often than most anyone else.

Big idea 2: Firearm injury and death is a preventable public health problem; it’s not inevitable.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 2:

2. Main message: We can prevent firearm injury and death. It’s not inevitable.

   1. Alt: You can help prevent gun-related injury and death instead of just feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.

   2. Alt: We don’t have to sit back and wait for gun injuries and deaths to happen—together, we can actually prevent them.

   3. Alt. Solutions do exist! There are proven ways to make shootings, suicides, and unintentional gun injuries less likely to happen in our neighborhoods.

Big idea 3: We can take concrete, evidence-based actions (ameliorate risk factors and strengthen protective factors) to prevent firearm I&D and mitigate the degree to which it threatens our health.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 3:

3. Main message: Let’s be proactive. Prevent firearm injury and death by taking simple actions that are proven to work.

   1. Alt: It doesn’t have to be this way—let’s take actions that are proven to prevent shootings, suicides, and gun-related accidents.

   2. Alt: We know what works to prevent gun-related injuries and accidents from happening, and we can do it.

   3. Alt: We know what works to prevent people from getting injured with a gun, and we can do it.

   1. Sample calls to action (CTAs):

Audience	Desired action	CTAs to test (not an exhaustive list of all CTAs possible within final messages)
General public	Learn more about prevention and how it is linked to SDOH	Visit [website] to learn more about preventing gun violence. Learn about how to prevent gun violence at [website]. You might be surprised to learn that “greening” initiatives such as building parks and other outdoor spaces can help prevent gun violence.
Policymakers or policy influencers	Support greening, economic, and youth-based interventions	Clean up vacant lots or buildings to create fewer places and opportunities for gun violence. Consider policies that enhance individual and family financial security that can help reduce gun violence. Connect young people to mentors to help communities cope with and prevent gun violence. Connect young people who are most at risk with outreach workers and services to reduce trauma and avoid future violence.
Partner orgs with niche reach, e.g., shooting clubs	Promoting and practicing safe storage	You are careful enough to secure your firearms, and making sure your neighbors are doing the same will help make your whole community safer. Secure all your guns to help prevent one of the most common types of firearm death among young people—suicide. Secure your guns to help prevent one of the most common types of firearm death among young people—suicide. Keep all your guns stored securely to prevent young people and others from using your gun without your knowledge. Keep your guns stored safely to prevent young people and others from using your gun without your knowledge. Store guns safely to prevent young people and others from using your gun without your knowledge. Discuss secure gun storage with other parents before your kids play together for the first time. Discuss safe gun storage with other parents before your kids play together for the first time.