Kylee Cibula.

My name is Kylee Cibula and I grew up in Tama. I recently earned my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Iowa with specialization as a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. I have seen a huge demand for psychiatry services, so I am actively pursuing dual certification as a PMHNP as well. During my training at the University of Iowa, I have become deeply involved in harm reduction and prevention efforts. As of 2025, firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States–a trend that began in 2020 and now surpasses motor vehicle accidents, drownings, cancer, heart disease, and prematurity.

If this initiative is already underway and the community just isn’t aware–excellent. If not, now is the time to begin the conversation. Tama and Toledo should join the 75 Iowa police departments already participating in Project ChildSafe, including nearby communities like Grinnell and Marshalltown.

Through Project ChildSafe, police departments receive free firearm safety locks and educational materials for community distribution–funded through donations from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Enrollment is simple and free at: projectchildsafe.org/law-enforcement

Why this matters:

• 43.6% of Iowa households report owning a gun.

• Firearms account for the majority of U.S. suicides, and safe storage significantly reduces risk.

• About one-third of gun-owning households keep at least one firearm loaded.

• Among those with loaded guns, 59% of rural households keep them unlocked, compared to 51% of urban households.

• Providing families with free gun locks makes them more than twice as likely to use them within three months of receiving them.

• Suicide attempts with a firearm are 90% fatal, often impulsive and occurring within minutes. A gun lock creates a critical pause–enough time for the crisis to be interrupted or pass.

• Most people who survive a suicide attempt do not later die by suicide, making prevention efforts lifesaving.

Distribution can be simple and community-centered. The police department could place free safety-lock kits at the city clerk’s desk, partner with local businesses, or even hand them out during community events such as the Lincoln Highway Day parade. Let’s get these free gun locks into the hands of gun owners at no cost to the community.

By joining Project ChildSafe, Tama and Toledo can take an immediate, evidence-based step to promote responsible firearm storage, protect families, and help prevent suicide in our communities.

References

Anestis, M. D., Bryan, C. J., Capron, D. W., & Bryan, A. O. (2021). Lethal means counseling, distribution of cable locks, and safe firearm storage practices among the Mississippi National Guard: A factorial randomized controlled trial, 2018-2020. American Journal of Public Health, 111(2), 309-317. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2020.306019

Law enforcement. Project Childsafe. (2024, January 15). https://projectchildsafe.org/law-enforcement/

Lu, Y.-F., & Soupene, V. A. (2025). Firearm safe storage practices among firearm owners in rural and urban households. Injury Epidemiology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-025-00587-9

World Population Review. (2025, November 21). Gun ownership by State 2025. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gun-ownership-by-state