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Keep Our Seniors Safe Act Signed by Governor Newsom

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform (CARR) announces that California Governor Newsom signed the Keep Our Seniors Safe Act, a part of SB 172 (Portantino) which was signed into law on 12 October, 2019.

The Keep Our Seniors Safe Act strengthens the Health and Safety Code by adding safe gun storage requirements for firearms retained by residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE - also known as assisted living facilities).

CARR sponsored this common-sense safe gun storage legislation in recognition that an estimated 70% of assisted living residents have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias (ADRD). Dementia is a primary reason families seek an assisted living placement for a family member.

Many assisted living facilities are licensed to accept and retain residents having mild to severe cognitive impairment. Common characteristics include disorientation, confusion, changes in mood or personality and impaired judgment. CARR's public records' research evidenced that some assisted living facilities were storing firearms in unlocked desk drawers, or allowing residents to retain weapons in their rooms.

The characteristics and associated behaviors of a resident with cognitive impairment, coupled with unsecured weapons inside an RCFE posed an unreasonable risk of harm to residents, families and any third party working in or visiting an assisted living facility.

The Keep Our Seniors Safe Act fills the statutory and regulatory gaps concerning firearm storage by requiring weapons to be centrally stored in the facility, in a locked gun safe meeting the regulatory standards established by the California Department of Justice.

The statute advances CARR's consumer-driven agenda focused on reducing health and safety risks to residents living in California's licensed assisted living facilities.

"This legislation (Chapter 840) gives the state's agency (Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division DSS/CCLD) responsible for licensing assisted living facilities definitive and unequivocal standards for determining compliant gun storage," said CARR's President, Christine Murphy.

This is CARR's second piece of legislation to become law; the first was AB 1523 (Atkins) requiring assisted living facilities to carry liability insurance.

About CARR:
Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform (CARR) is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization promoting transparency and accountability for consumers using assisted living services, and specializing in public document research on assisted living facilities, and the state's oversight of the industry. Learn more at: https://rcfereform.org/

*LOGO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-1018s2p-CARR-RCFE-Reform-300dpi.jpg

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Free News Articles, Police, Fire and Rescue, Product Launches, Safety and Security Solutions

New Gun Technology Combines Safety with Unmatched Accessibility

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Safety first is not just a tagline, it's the name of a new start-up company, Safety First Arms, LLC, that's created a new gun technology designed to prevent unnecessary tragedy. Even with only a prototype, the company has already secured orders from two gun shops for more than $1 million for its Smart 2 pistol.

Safety First Arms has a 9mm pistol and AR-15 type rifle that prevent unauthorized use and are resistant to both tampering and theft. The pistol can be kept at bedside and the AR can be kept by the door or in a closet without risk of getting stolen or used by child, teen or perpetrator.

Unlike so-called "smart guns" that are based on unreliable fingerprint readers or RFID companion rings or watches, Safety First Arms has integrated a simple, electronic PIN code lock into its guns, just like those used for ATM machines and hotel room safes.

"The problem with these other designs is that they just aren't practical," Brian Weinberg, co-founder and engineer of Safety First Arms, says. "Fingerprint readers have unacceptable reliability issues in the real world where people where gloves or their hands are wet, moisturized or dirty. And, RFID rings and watches are not practical for most people and do nothing to protect against tampering and theft."

The Smart 2 unlocks in less than a second after the owner grips the gun and enters their three to five-digit PIN. To relock, the owner just releases the grip and grip safety; this ensures that the gun is always locked when not in use and that if the gun is wrestled away from the owner or a police officer it locks automatically. To protect against unauthorized handling and theft, both guns are equipped with Theft Guard(TM) which sounds a piercing alarm, triggered by motion and keypad tampering.

Bob Allan, inventor and founder of Safety First Arms, says that "only Safety First Arms' technology or a gun safe can prevent both unauthorized handling and firing by anyone from children and troubled teens to criminals."

For more information and to watch a product demo, visit: http://safetyfirstarms.com/.

Media Contact:
Brian Weinberg, Safety First Arms, 619-642-2248, brian@safetyfirstarms.com

* VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/Yzww8SE_bw4

* Photo 1 for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0803-safetyfirst-300dpi.jpg
* Photo 1 Caption: 3D-printed functional prototype of the Smart 2(TM) 9mm pistol.

* Photo 2 for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0803-safetyfirstAR-300dpi.jpg
* Photo 2 Caption: Concept prototype of the Smart AR(TM).

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.