From: Robert Avsec, Executive Fire Officer, Volunteer with Moms Demand Action-WV
I’m a retired fire department battalion chief who proudly served with the women and men of the Chesterfield (Va.) Fire and EMS Department for 26 years before I retired in December 2007.
There are many things that I’m grateful about regarding that career and among them is that me and the people I worked with during my career did not have to deal with consequences of the widespread gun violence that has rapidly overtaken our country in the past 12 years.
We didn’t have to routinely treat gun violence victims, especially gun violence victims that are more like battlefield casualties because the firearms used against them are military-grade weapons designed for one purpose: The taking of human life.
And that’s the reality of today. A mass shooting or active shooter event can happen anywhere and anytime in the U.S. And when it does, it falls upon the members of local public safety agencies—fire, law enforcement, and EMS—who first put their own safety at risk by responding to an act of gun violence that may be ongoing—to manage the consequences.
Conducting triage to determine who can be saved and who has died. Treating and transporting victims who have horrific soft tissue trauma caused by firearms and ammunition specifically designed to cause such damage. And being exposed themselves to psychological trauma that nobody should have to see in a civilized society.
But you know all of this because you’re in the business you are in. Perhaps you’ve already dealt with such situations. You’ve certainly trained for such situation.
YOUR LAWMAKERS DON’T CARE
In 2016, the West Virginia Legislature passed a Permit-less Concealed Carry law (which the gun lobby refers to euphemistically as “Constitutional Carry”) that said that any person over the age of 21 could carry a concealed weapon anywhere in West Virginia without a concealed weapon permit.
Under West Virginia law, to obtain a concealed weapon permit a person must submit to a background check and take a designated gun safety class before a permit is issued. So, the above law effectively rendered that process null and void (Why go through the time, effort, and money to obtain a permit when you’re not required to have on?).
But the West Virginia Legislature is not done with its pursuit of “guns everywhere and anywhere” philosophy, a philosophy being pushed by the NRA’s extremist leadership and paid for through campaign contributions from the gun lobby to West Virginia legislators. Here are two pieces of legislation currently working their way through the current session of the legislature that should be of great concern to anyone working or volunteering in public safety today:
West Virginia Senate Bill 96 would force municipalities to allow those without a permit to bring guns—both concealed and open-carry—to street fairs and festivals where sidewalks/roads are closed. Think of any outdoor festival that you and your family attend during the year in your community like the Annual Hops on the Mon Craft Beer and Food Festival in Morgantown or the Brewgrass Craft Beer/Cider & Music Festival in Huntington (Here in Charleston we have Live on the Levee and FestivALL among a host of others).
Now imagine the introduction of individuals carrying firearms—concealed or open-carry—who have not undergone a background check or taken a gun safety class (That’s the permit-less part of the 2016 law kicking in). Lots of people, warm weather, alcohol being consumed. What could go wrong?
The second bill is West Virginia Senate Bill 482 that would allow those without a concealed weapon permit to keep guns in their vehicle while in school parking lots and drop-off/pickup circles at schools. And they wouldn’t be required to have those guns secured in the vehicle (e.g., locked in the glove compartment).
Perhaps not quite as onerous as SB96 but many of those cars, especially those waiting to pick up or drop off students, have younger children in the car as well. Parent gets out of car to claim their child from school official, younger sibling gets their hands on the gun that they know is under the driver’s seat, and unintentionally shoots themselves. That could never happen, right?
HERE’S MY ASK
I’m now a volunteer with the West Virginia Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and I’m asking you to do a couple of things:
1. Please become a volunteer or supporter of the West Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomsDemandActionWV/ and Follow us on Twitter @MomsDemand.
2. Contact these members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Judiciary Committee to express your opposition to the pending legislation:
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Script: “I’m calling to oppose SB 96 and SB 482. Folks who
do not have a concealed carry license should not be allowed to store guns in
vehicles on school property or carry at street fairs and other outdoor
community events.” (Be sure to include your name and address (with Zip Code)
in your message. SB 96 would allow untrained individuals to carry at outdoor events like street fairs. SB 482 would eliminate permit requirement for storing concealed handgun in vehicle on school property for persons over 21. | ||
| House Judiciary | Phone | |
| Delegate Shott (Chair) | (304) 340-3252 | john.shott@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Fluharty | (304) 340-3270 | shawn.fluharty@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate David Kelly | (304) 340-3226 | david.kelly@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Nelson | (304) 340-3181 | nelson@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Westfall | (304) 340-3140 | steve.westfall@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Robinson | (304) 340-3156 | andrew.robinson@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Queen | (304) 340-3171 | ben.queen@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Nathan Brown | (304) 340-3126 | nathan.brown@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Chad Lovejoy | (304) 340-3280 | chad.lovejoy@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate John Mandt | (304) 340-3176 | john.mandt@wvhouse.gov |
| Delegate Moore Capito | (304) 340-3252 | moore.capito@wvhouse.gov |