Long Beach is giving away about 200 free gun safes at seven locations around the city with the goal of preventing gun-related accidents and theft.

The model of gun safe being given away weighs about 10 pounds and can fit two handguns. They will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis with no questions asked starting Monday.

Long Beach residents can pick them up from:

  • Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.), weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.
  • Cesar E. Chavez Park (401 Golden Ave.), weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Coolidge Park (352 E. Neece St.), weekdays 3 to 10 p.m.
  • Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • MacArthur Park (1321 E. Anaheim St.), weekdays 3 to 6 p.m.
  • Orizaba Park (1435 Orizaba Ave.) weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.
  • Ron Arias Health Equity Center (6335 Myrtle Ave.), Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Residents are advised not to bring firearms to the sites, as weapons are prohibited at city facilities.

All gun safes will come with gun safety educational materials, according to the city.

The giveaway was funded by $35,478 from the city’s budget as part of the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services’ violence prevention strategy.

From 2003-21, unintentional injury was the leading cause of death among children and adolescents aged 1-17, with firearms as the leading injury method, according to a Dec. 2023 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The majority of those victims were fatally injured in their own homes with firearms originating in the child’s home, according to the study.

“Using a gun safe to store firearms reduces the risk of accidental injuries and fatalities, particularly among children,” City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said in a statement. “It also helps prevent unauthorized access, lowering the chances of firearm-related violence and suicide.”

When stored unlocked, the CDC study found that the most common places for a firearm were inside or on top of a nightstand, under a mattress or pillow and on top of a shelf or inside a closet.

“Data show that nearly 4.6 million American children live in homes with unlocked and loaded guns,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “Safe firearm storage plays a critical role in preventing firearm injuries and death.”