CeaseFirePA

09/19/2026

Dan lost his stepbrother Boaz to su***de by fi***rm in a moment of crisis; for Dan, storing fi***rms securely is a life and death issue.
Here's the part that matters most: suicidal crises are usually temporary. 90% of people who survive an attempt do not go on to die by su***de later.

Watch more of Dan's story at https://www.deadlybydesign.org/video/dan-schwarz/

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Su***de and Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, 24/7.

09/17/2026

September is Su***de Prevention Month. When someone is in crisis, access to a fi***rm can turn a temporary moment into a permanent loss.

Dan Schwartz shared his story of losing his stepbrother Boaz for our Deadly by Design storytelling series.

Suicidal crises are usually temporary. PA families deserve the time to get through them.

Watch more of Dan's story at https://www.deadlybydesign.org/video/dan-schwarz/

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Su***de and Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, 24/7.

09/16/2026

Open carrying of fi***rms—especially in densely populated urban environments—increases the risk of fatal shootings. Without clear legislation from Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court continued today its effort to unravel the problem of having one open carry law across Pennsylvania while addressing the different needs of our biggest city.

The Justices heard oral arguments in the case of Commonwealth v. Livingston with the benefit of an amicus brief (an expert opinion) from The Public Interest Law Center and CeaseFirePA. We are grateful for the collaboration on this issue that is important to everyone's safety.

We will keep you updated on when a ruling might happen, but meanwhile, CeaseFirePA and our amazing partners will keep fighting for common-sense gun safety laws that save lives.

09/06/2026

Su***de prevention is gun violence prevention.

When someone is in crisis, access to a fi***rm can turn a temporary moment into a permanent loss. Most suicidal crises are brief and impulsive, which means creating time and distance between the person and a fi***rm can save their life.

This month, we’ll be focusing on two practical tools that we know can prevent fi***rm su***des: secure storage and Extreme Risk Protection Orders.

🔒 Secure storage: Keeping fi***rms locked and unloaded, with am******on stored separately. A simple step that can prevent gun access during a crisis.

⚖️ Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs): A temporary legal process that removes fi***rm access when someone poses a serious risk to themselves or others.

This Su***de Prevention Month, let's talk about fi***rm su***de without shame or stigma and highlight the concrete steps Pennsylvanians can take to prevent more of these tragedies.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone. The 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Call or text 988.

08/28/2026

In the Fox Chase Area (North East Philly) next Wednesday, Sept 2? Come and share your concerns about safer homes and safer schools.

Safe at Home. Safe at School. Take worrying about shootings off your back-to-school list. Fi****ms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens in America, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. As a new school year begins, every child deserves to feel safe not just in the cla...

08/25/2026

Let’s face the truth: it’s too easy for kids to access guns and for tragic accidents to happen. Will you watch Jerame’s story and share it with your elected representatives using our easy tool?

Cathy, Jerame's mom, shared the loss she’s suffered under a system that’s & working exactly as planned.

Watch Jerame’s story at www.DeadlyByDesign.org

Share this video with your elected reps: https://act.ceasefirepa.org/a/jerame-dream-unsecured-gun

08/23/2026

If back to school has you worried for all the wrong reasons, take our survey to share your concerns and help make legislators understand that they should protect our kids, not the gun industry.

08/17/2026

What difficult conversations have you had around guns and schools with your kids?

For Clare Dych, CeaseFirePA Director of Development, it's a tough to explain the metal detectors at her daughter's new school, and a talk that could be avoided with the passage of Secure Storage legislation.

08/15/2026

– Pittsburgh organizer Beth shares why she got into this work and how she is working to keep her kids safe, your kids safe, and all of our communities safe. If you see an orange T-shirt with ‘CeaseFirePA’ on it, stop and sign our petition and ask how we are doing it.