A Conversation About Keeping Your Home Safe
This isn't a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. This check-in evaluates your household's current situation — it does not judge you, your choices, or how you use your firearms.
Your FLAME score is driven primarily by how accessible your firearms are right now. The more honestly you answer, the more useful your results will be.
🔒 No sign-up, no name, no account. Your answers are submitted to a FLAME research server in de-identified form to help improve and validate the tool — they are not linked to your name, but standard technical data (such as IP and time) may be logged. See our Privacy Policy.
Before you start: Answer for how things actually are right now — not how you intend them to be. Takes 3-5 minutes.
If someone in your home is in crisis right now, please call or text 988 before continuing.
Section 1 of 6
Tell Us About Your Household
Your household makeup changes the risk picture significantly. There are no bad answers here.
Who lives in your home? (click all that apply)
🧍 Just me — living alone
👫 Me and a partner/spouse
👶 Child(ren) under 13
🧒 Teenager(s) 13-17
👴 Older adult family member (parent/grandparent)
🎖️ Veteran or active-duty member
🌾 Farm or ranch household
♾️ Adult with disability/cognitive difference
🏠 Roommates or non-family adults
Does your household include any firearms?
Yes — I own or there are firearms in this home
No — no firearms in the home right now
I'm not sure — someone else's firearm may be here
Section 2 of 6
Your Firearms Right Now
Think about where your firearms actually are this moment — not where you intend them to be. Your answers here are the primary driver of your FLAME score.
A note about home defense: Many gun owners keep at least one firearm accessible for quick self-defense — that's a legitimate choice. These questions help us give you feedback that fits your situation.
How are most of your firearms stored right now?
Think about where they actually are this moment — not a planned or ideal state.
Stored outside the home — at a gun shop, range, or with a trusted person Lowest possible access level
Double locked — in a safe or locked case AND trigger/cable lock also applied Two independent barriers required to access the firearm
Locked in a gun safe or steel cabinet — no additional trigger lock Key, combination, or biometric lock on the container
Locked hard case — no additional trigger lock Padlocked or combination case only
Trigger or cable lock only — not stored in a locked container Lock is on the firearm, but no locked case or safe
No lock of any kind — hidden in drawer, closet, under bed, or similar Concealed only — no physical barrier to access
Readily accessible — nightstand, on person, or within arm's reach, no lock Intentionally kept for quick access
A mix — some firearms locked, some are not
Are any firearms stored in a vehicle or separate building (barn, outbuilding, garage)?
This includes firearms kept in your vehicle regularly, stored in an outbuilding or barn, or any location separate from the main home. Vehicle storage is included because firearms outside the home can be accessed without entering the home and are at higher theft risk.
Yes — in a vehicle, no lock or case Accessible when you're in or near the vehicle
Yes — in a vehicle, in a locked case or with trigger lock
Yes — in an unlocked outbuilding, barn, or garage
Yes — in a locked outbuilding or secure separate storage
No — all firearms are inside the home
The last time you put a firearm away, what did you actually do?
This is about what happened — not what you plan to do next time.
Unloaded it and locked it in a safe or case
Left it loaded but locked it
Unloaded it and put it away without locking
Left it loaded and within reach — on purpose
Left it loaded and put it away without locking
Not applicable
If a curious 10-year-old searched your home right now, could they find a loaded firearm within about 5 minutes?
Research shows children almost always find firearms adults consider hidden. This is about physical access, not parental trust.
Yes — and it would be loaded
Yes — but it would be unloaded
Probably — I'm not completely certain
No — they're all locked
No firearms in the home
Is ammunition stored separately from the firearms?
Yes, always — in a different locked location
Sometimes
No — stored together with the firearm
No ammunition in the home
Section 3 of 6
What's Going On in Your Home Right Now
Life circumstances affect risk in any household — even ones with excellent storage. This section looks at current situations, not permanent characteristics.
Many of these situations are common and nothing to be ashamed of. Checking a box doesn't mean something bad will happen — it means your feedback will account for your actual situation.
Which of these are currently true for your household? (click all that apply)
✓
Someone has been having thoughts of suicide or self-harm✓
A child under 13 lives here✓
A teenager who is struggling emotionally lives here✓
A household member has dementia or significant memory loss✓
A household member has autism or a developmental disability✓
There's been conflict or tension between partners or family members✓
Someone recently lost a job or major income source✓
The household is under serious financial pressure✓
There's uncertainty about housing or where you'll be living✓
Someone recently lost a close friend or family member✓
Someone lost a person to suicide in the past 12 months Suicide bereavement carries distinct elevated risk✓
Someone has been drinking more than usual or using substances✓
Someone is struggling with mental health and not getting support✓
Someone has become more withdrawn or isolated lately✓
✅ None of these apply right nowSection 4 of 6
How Things Feel Right Now
Short-term stress levels matter when thinking about household safety. This isn't looking for a clinical diagnosis — just what's actually happening this month.
How would you describe the stress level in your household over the past 2-4 weeks?
Very stable and calmExtremely high — hard to cope
3
Manageable — some tension but generally stable
Is your household going through an unusually hard period right now?
💡 Temporary hard stretches are exactly when small safety changes matter most.
Yes — things are harder than usual right now
Somewhat — some elevated stress but not unusual
No — things are reasonably stable
In a moment of real distress, how quickly could someone in your home reach a loaded firearm?
This isn't about whether you think it would happen. It's about what the physical reality makes possible.
Within seconds — it's within arm's reach
Within a minute or two — it's nearby and accessible
Several minutes — it's put away but not locked
It would require a key or combination — there's a real barrier
No firearms in the home
Section 5 of 6
What Matters to You
Understanding what's important to you helps us give you feedback that actually fits your life.
What's the main reason you keep any firearm accessible rather than locked?
Quick access for home defense — response time matters to me
Habit or convenience — locking hasn't been part of my routine
I don't have a locking device that works for my situation
I don't see a meaningful risk in my household right now
I need rapid access for farm or ranch work
All my firearms are already locked — not applicable
How open would you be to a temporary change in how your firearms are stored during a higher-stress period?
💡 Temporary is the key word. People are far more willing to adjust storage for a defined period (30 days) than to make a permanent change.
Very open — I'm already thinking about it
Open — I'd consider it if it didn't mean giving up access entirely
Unsure — I'd need more information
Not right now — not something I'm willing to change
Would you consider temporarily storing firearms at a Wisconsin gun shop through the Live Today, Put It Away program — free, confidential, no-questions-asked?
Yes — I would consider this option
Maybe — if the situation felt serious enough
No — I wouldn't be comfortable with that
I didn't know this was an option — I'd like to learn more
Section 6 of 6
A Few Final Questions
On a scale of 1-10, how safe do you feel your current setup is given everything going on right now?
1 — Not very safe10 — Very safe
7
Reasonably safe — a few things could be improved
After seeing your results, how likely do you think you would be to take at least one action?
There is no right answer — "unlikely" is equally useful information for improving this tool.
1 = Very unlikely10 = Very likely
What single action would you be most willing to take in the next 30 days?
Get a locking device (safe, lockbox, trigger lock)
Start storing ammunition separately
Temporarily store firearms at a gun shop (Live Today, Put It Away)
Remove firearm from vehicle when not in use
Have a conversation with someone in my household about safety
Connect myself or a household member with a mental health resource
I'm not planning to make changes right now
Is there one person you could trust to hold your firearms temporarily if you ever needed that option?
Yes — I can think of someone right now
Possibly — I'd have to think about it
No — I can't think of anyone I'd trust with this
Not applicable