Goodyear Fire Department Wins NRA Safety Mascot Costume

FAIRFAX, Va.- Officer David Acero of the Goodyear Fire Department in Goodyear, AZ, submitted the winning application for the 2008 Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program mascot costume competition in Arizona. The Goodyear Fire Department will receive an Eddie Eagle costume, at no cost, to aid them in their gun accident prevention efforts among young children.

Launched in 1988, Eddie Eagle was created by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with child psychologists, elementary schoolteachers and law enforcement officers. It teaches children in pre-K through the third grade the following safety message: If you see a gun: STOP! Don’t Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult.  Since inception, more than 26,000 law enforcement officers, schoolteachers, and community safety leaders have taught the program to over 21 million young children.

The program’s delivery has been enhanced by the availability, beginning in 1996, of Eddie Eagle mascot costumes to law enforcement agencies. The costume helps capture children’s attention during presentations, and leaves a lasting positive impression. The Goodyear Fire Department started the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program over 12 years ago and the new costume should reach up to 10,000 children per year. 

“I can’t tell you how excited we are to learn that the Goodyear Fire Department is the recipient of the NRA’s Eddie Eagle mascot costume,” exclaimed Tanja Tanner, Community Education Coordinator for the Goodyear Fire Department.  “To actually be able to use the full size costume in our program will greatly enhance our ability to make a lasting impression.”

The winning application was selected based on a detailed description of how the costume and program would be used to reach the maximum number of children in a particular community. “The Goodyear Fire Department has a long tradition of teaching firearm accident prevention with the Eddie Eagle program in their community,” said Eric Lipp, Manager of the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program. “And we’re sure that the addition of an Eddie Eagle Mascot costume will greatly enhance their programs effectiveness.”

Over the years, the Eddie Eagle program has been praised by numerous groups and elected officials, including the Association of American Educators, the Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. Department of Justice  (through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency), 26 state governors and 23 state legislatures, just to name a few. Since the Eddie Eagle Program was launched, the annual number of firearm-related deaths among children of the program’s age group declined more than 80 percent.  Gun accident prevention programs such as Eddie Eagle are a significant factor in that decline.

The Eddie Eagle costume represents a $2,650 value for the Goodyear Fire Department and was made possible through a contribution by the Arizona Friends of NRA. Thanks to the support of Friends of NRA (www.nrafoundation.org/friends) around the country, 28 costumes have been donated through this contest to law enforcement agencies since 2001. The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun accident prevention awareness within their local communities.

Law enforcement agencies, schools, civic groups, and others interested in more information about the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program should visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie or call 800-231-0752 or e-mail eddie@nrahq.org

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