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The INDEPENDENT, November 2, 2011
Learn four basic firearm safety rules
by Wolfgang Rotbart
This is the first of what I
hope will be an ongoing series
on firearm safety, proper us-
age, maintenance, etc. In these
articles, I will not advocate
firearm ownership and will
avoid political issues such as
gun control. I will, however, try
to cover issues one should
consider before acquiring a
firearm, especially for self-de-
fense.
I chose this topic as the lead
because it is the foundation for
the safe handling and use of all
firearms in general, whether for
hunting, target or self-defense.
By possessing a firearm,
you are continually making a
series of life-or-death decisions
every time you use or even
handle it. It is a grave responsi-
bility that should not be taken
lightly.
The Four Basic Rules, if fol-
lowed unfailingly, all but elimi-
nate the possibility of a serious
or fatal unintentional discharge.
So let’s get to them.
The Four Basic Rules of
Firearm Safety:
1) ALWAYS assume ALL
firearms are loaded. A surpris-
ing number of people have
been killed with what they
thought
were
“unloaded”
firearms.
2) Never point a firearm at
anything you are not willing to
kill, maim or destroy. Stated an-
other way, keep it pointed in a
safe direction at all times ex-
cept in cases of extreme self-
defense.
3) Keep your finger off the
trigger until your sights are on
target and you have made the
decision to shoot.
4) Be sure of your target and
what is beyond it. You are
legally and morally responsible
for everything that occurs from
the moment you pull the trigger
until the bullet stops.
I like this set of rules better
than some of the others out
there because it is short and
easy to remember. Most of the
other sets of rules are just vari-
ations and combinations of
these four. Another reason is
that you pretty much have to
break two or more of the rules
at one time before someone
gets hurt. However, I don’t
mean to imply that anyone
should ever break ANY of
these four rules at ANY time,
but rather that they have a bit
of built-in redundancy to them.
These rules do not ade-
quately address the subject of
firearm safety in and around
the home, especially regarding
children. That is a topic that will
require its own article.
I welcome ideas for topics
for these articles. Please email
them to:Wolfgang@Wolfgang
TheGunDoctor.com or call me
at 503-429-7342, Monday
through Friday from 10:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
How to stay healthy during the holidays
With so many good things to
do during the holiday season,
who wants to spend precious
time being sick? Here are
some tips for staying healthy
during the holidays.
Get the clean hands habit.
Frequent handwashing is the
number-one way to prevent the
spread of germs that cause
colds and flu. In the latest ob-
servational study 85% of adults
washed their hands in public
restrooms, compared with 77%
in 2007. It show that we’re get-
ting better, but there’s still a
long way to go.
Be handshake savvy. The
holiday meet-and-greets offer
lots of opportunities for hugs
and handshakes. The down-
side is the opportunity to trans-
mit germs from person to per-
son. Be very aware of keeping
your hands away from your
eyes, nose or mouth.
Control your social calendar.
Answering every invitation may
leave you overscheduled, over-
tired and vulnerable to the
germs that cause colds and flu.
Be judicious in your acceptanc-
es so you have time to do the
things you really enjoy.
Get plenty of rest. According
to the National Sleep Founda-
tion, adults need seven to nine
hours of sleep per night to stay
healthy. If you find yourself run-
ning around like one of Santa’s
overworked elves, even 15-20
minutes of shut-eye will
recharge your batteries. But
don’t overdo it. Sleeping more
than 30 minutes can lead to
sleep inertia, which makes you
feel sluggish and more tired
than ever.
Reduce the possibility of
food-borne illness. If you’re
hosting, keep hot foods hot and
cold foods cold. If you’re the
guest and think the buffet food
may have been out too long,
give the food a pass.
Join the weight control pa-
trol. Here are a few helpful
strategies:
• Eat a small, healthy meal
before party time. It will be eas-
ier to resist the high calorie
foods.
• At a party, don’t stand next
to the buffet table. It leads to
the temptation to overeat. In-
stead, mingle with the guests.
State Farm ®
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
• Carry an apple or baby car-
rots with you, so you always
have a healthy snack available.
Tuck some hand wipes or a
hand sanitizer in with your
snack so it’s easy to have clean
hands no matter where you
eat.
• Drink plenty of water.
Don’t give exercise a holi-
day. If there’s no time to follow
your usual routine, be creative.
While watching television, ride
an exercise bike, use a tread-
mill or do some other type of
503-901-1705
Source: Extension Service Colum-
bia County Healthy Family News-
letter
Columbia County holds Flu shot clinics
Columbia County Public
Health has received flu vaccine
and is giving shots at walk-in
clinics on Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30
p.m., except on November 11,
Veteran’s Day. The clinics will
be at Columbia County Public
Health, 2370 Gable Road, St.
Helens. No appointment is nec-
essary for the walk-in clinics.
Appointments for flu shots
on Wednesdays can be sched-
uled by calling the Public
Health Foundation main num-
ber, 503-397-4651, ext. 2003
or 2010.
The fee is $15, but can be
reduced on a sliding scale,
based on ability to pay. The
vaccine is intended for the
uninsured and underinsured.
The Center for Disease
Control and Prevention recom-
mends that people six months
of age and older should get the
flu vaccine. The vaccine is also
important for people who are at
higher risk of severe influenza,
and their close contacts, in-
cluding healthcare personnel
and close contacts of children
younger than six months.
Anyone can get the flu, but
rates of infection are highest
among children. Young chil-
dren, people age 65 and older,
pregnant women and people
with certain health conditions
or a weakened immune system
can get much sicker.
Those who are vaccinated
are protected, and also may
avoid spreading influenza to
others.
More information is avail-
able from the CDC website,
www.cdc.gov/flu. Anyone with
questions about whether or not
they should be vaccinated
should contact their physicians.
Columbia County
Domestic Abuse
Mental Health
Hotline
800-294-5211
503-397-6161
-----------------
or
Suicide Hotline
866-397-6161
1-800-
-----------------
784-2433
or
Bunny Girt, Agent
1229 N. Adair
PO Box 543
Cornelius, OR 97113-0543
Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667
bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com
exercise. If you don’t have any
exercise
equipment,
try
crunches, pushups or jog in
place during commercials.
Park your car a little farther
from the door when shopping
so you can add a bit of walking
to your routine. Forego the ele-
vator or the escalator for the
stairs.
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)