Asking about guns is a health issue.

Firearms remain a leading cause of death (intentional and unintentional) for children in our country.  As pediatricians and other child health care providers, the safety of our patients is our greatest concern.  We  do not hesitate to ask our families if they provide car seats, bike helmets, controlled water temperature, and locked medications to protect their children.  Asking about properly stored guns is  no different and should be incorporated into routine well child exams.  Parents listen to their health care providers and will do a better job of protecting their children if they are reminded of the importance of safety measures.  We should remind them that safe gun storage means keeping guns locked and unloaded with ammunition stored separately.  Children should be taught not to go snooping for guns, not to touch a gun and to tell an adult if they see another young person handling a gun.  However, you cannot trust a child to always follow these rules, because they are children after all.  It is our job as adults to protect them to the best of our ability.

http://www.projectchildsafe.org/safety/safe-storage—information

Key guidelines for safe storage include:

• Unloaded firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case. The storage location should be inaccessible to children.

• Gun locking devices render firearms inoperable and can be used in addition to locked storage. If firearms are disassembled, parts should be securely stored in separate locations.

• Ammunition should be stored in a locked location separate from firearms.

Thoroughly double check firearms to confirm that they are unloaded when you remove them from storage. Accidents could occur if a family member borrows a gun and returns it to storage while still loaded.