Armed Security Guard Classes | Firearms Safety

Safety Rules for Armed Security Training 

Safety Rules #1
TREAT EVERY WEAPON AS IF IT WERE LOADED, EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE ENSURED IT TO BE UNLOADED!!!

• Prevents unintentional injury to personnel or damage to property

Safety Rule #2
MUZZLE DISCIPLINE!!!
Never point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.

• Always keep your muzzle pointed in the safest direction and never intentionally point the muzzle at anything you are not prepared to shoot.
• A Safe Direction is one where NO injury and only minor property damage could occur if an unintentional shot is fired.
• “Laser Rule” – Imagine your firearm has a laser beam extending from the muzzle, and whatever it touches could be shot.
• This applies when using training guns also!

Safety Rule #3
TRIGGER FINGER PLACEMENT
Keep your finger straight, off the trigger, and outside the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire!

• This minimizes the risk of firing negligently!

Safety Rule #4
BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND CONSIDER ITS BACKGROUND!!!
While targets on a training range are easily identifiable, threats on the street are often in close proximity or in front of innocent bystanders.

RANGE COMMANDS
SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
In the firearms training class, instructors will advise all students that at no time will any firearms be loaded or handled out of the holster without prior approval of the range officer. All loading and unloading will occur only on the firing line upon command.
NOTE: AT THE COMPLETION OF EACH STAGE OF FIRE THE INSTRUCTOR WILL ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HOLSTER AN UNLOADED AND DE-COCKED HANDGUN IN A SAFE MANNER.
“IS THE LINE SAFE” – To ensure no person is downrange, and to make sure that no shooter is forward of the firing line. All magazines will be out of the firearms.

“ALL SHOOTERS DRAW AND LOCK YOUR SLIDES TO THE REAR” – Upon this command, shooters will draw their firearms with special emphasis on keeping their fingers out of the trigger guard, off the trigger, pointing their firearms downrange, and locking their slides to the rear.

“LOAD AND HOLSTER” – Upon this command, students will insert a loaded magazine into the magazine well of the pistol. They will then release the slide allowing it to freely travel forward chambering a fresh cartridge and loading the pistol into the battery. The instructor must take special precautions here to ensure that all shooters have de-cocked their pistols and not holstered a pistol with a cocked hammer. This condition is very dangerous and can lead to injuries in the leg or other areas.

“IS THE LINE READY” – Upon this command, if any shooter is not ready to fire the prescribed course of fire, he/she should speak in a loud voice, “NOT READY.” If no shooter states that he/she is not ready, the course of fire will continue.

“THE LINE IS READY” – Upon this command, all shooters will know that the course of fire is ready to commence.

“FIRE” – Upon this command, all shooters will make a safe draw with fingers off the trigger until they have target acclimation and are prepared to fire an intentional shot at the intended target. They then fire their pistols in the designated course of fire.

“CEASE FIRING” – Upon this command, all shooters will immediately stop firing, remove the magazine, and lock their slides to the rear. The barrel of the pistol WILL BE DIRECTED DOWN RANGE at all times.

Some shooters tend to allow the barrel of the pistol to be pointed at their feet when removing and inserting the magazine. Ensure that safety standards are maintained.

The instructor shall ensure that all students know in the Armed Guard Classes what is expected of them on the firing line and can safely operate the firearm. If there is any doubt, or any shooter demonstrates that they cannot or will not function within the safety behavioral standards, they shall be removed from the range. Written documentation surrounding the event will then be prepared and maintained by the instructor.

REVOLVERS

The armed guard classes firearms instructor will make sure that the range is clear then commands, “WITH – ROUNDS LOAD.”

The firearms instructor then asks, “IS THE LINE READY?” Any student who is not ready or whose target is not in order will immediately raise his arm and call, “Not ready on target…” The firearms instructor will immediately state, “THE LINE IS NOT READY,” and immediately investigate the difficulty and assist in correcting it. When the difficulty has been corrected, the instructor calls, “THE LINE IS READY.”

The instructor will then command, “THE LINE IS READY.” The target will be exposed, or the signal to commence firing will be given in approximately three seconds.

The instructor then commands, “COMMENCE FIRING” which means to start firing without delay as the timing of the string is started with this command. “COMMENCE FIRING” may be signaled verbally, by a short sharp blast on a whistle or by moving the targets into view.

“CEASE FIRING” is the command given by the instructor at the end of the time limit for each string, or at any other time he wishes all firing to cease. “CEASE FIRING” may be signaled verbally, by a short blast on a whistle or by moving the target out of view. Firing must cease immediately. Even if a student is about to let off a carefully aimed shot, he must hold his fire. Any shots fired after the “CEASE FIRE” command will be deducted from the shooter’s score. After the final string of fire for the course, the command to “UNLOAD AND MAKE YOUR WEAPON SAFE” will be given. On this command, cylinders shall be opened, and the firearms pointed downrange. The shooter will then visually inspect the firearm to ensure the handgun is safe.

The firearm must be holstered and not handled until the next command of the firearms instructor.

1. THE PROPER WEARING AND STORAGE OF THE HANDGUN

We are creatures of habit. Many of our behavioral patterns are unconsciously learned, while others must be behaviorally acquired and willfully repeated until they become an integral part of our makeup. One such habit that should be developed concerns the wearing of the firearm and its off-duty storage. There must be a conscious effort to regard the weapon not only as an instrument that may protect life but also as a potentially deadly threat to the safety of innocent persons. The officer must then adopt and consistently follow the practice of properly storing his weapon and keeping it out of the reach of the curious and the immature.

Proper storage is especially important when off duty and storing firearms at home. The most important rule is NEVER STORE A LOADED FIREARM. Also of critical importance is to keep all stored firearms under lock and key and use other safety devises where possible. Trigger locks and devices to lock cylinders in the open position and storing firearms separate from ammunitions are just some safety precautions that may help avoid tragedy. When possible, it is advisable to store the firearm and ammunition separately.

While on duty, your weapon should be worn in a manner that will permit easy access. It is with this thought in mind that you should develop the habit of wearing your holstered weapon where the hand touches the side on the same side as your gun hand. The daily ritual of placing your service revolver at the same position and location will reduce the reflex time required to draw the weapon in time of an emergency.

1. SAFETY RULES FOR FIRING HANDGUNS

Safety rules, in themselves, have never prevented an accident. It is the practice of safety rules to a point where they become automatic that prevents accidents. Even that is not enough! The mind of the shooter must also be devoted to his or her actions. The person with a firearm in their possession has a full-time job. They cannot guess, they cannot forget, they must know!

Armed Guard Classes teach students to know:

How the handgun works

Whether it’s loaded

Where the barrel is directed

Where and what the target is

Where and how far the bullet will go and what it will penetrate the bullet will stop.

1. GENERAL STORAGE OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOLS

Anytime a licensee is not in the “CUSTODIAL CONTROL” of a firearm, the following standards must be met:

• The firearm must be unloaded, locked and secured to prevent use by unauthorized
• All magazines stored in a separate area away from all
• At no time will a loaded or unloaded firearm be left out and in the custodial control of an untrained

All persons owning firearms acquire the responsibility to ensure public safety. All possible steps must be taken to maintain this goal.

1. RENDERING A HANDGUN SAFE

• Point the weapon in the safest direction possible.
• KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER
• Engage manual safety (If applicable)
• Remove the Magazine
• Lock slide to rear (DO NOT TRY TO CATCH ROUND)
• Visually and physically inspect the chamber and magazine well and ensure they are clear. (If you are with another person, announce and show that the weapon is clear, and let them make sure.)

*MAINTAIN MUZZLE DISCIPLINE*
*TRIGGER FINGER STRAIGHT AND OFF THE TRIGGER*
Remove Source of Ammunition

• Remove the Magazine
• Retain the Magazine

Lock Slide to the Rear
Physically and Visually Inspect
PASSING A FIREARM SAFELY
NEVER PASS A LOADED FIREARM!
UNLOAD THE FIREARM IN THE SAFEST DIRECTION!
NEVER FLAG ANYONE WITH THE MUZZLE

• Keep the Weapon pointing in a safe direction, if someone is standing in front of you, a safe direction is often the floor
• Remove the magazine/Ammunition
• Lock the Slide to the Rear/Keep Cylinder Open
• Physically inspect the chamber
• Visually inspect to ensure there is no magazine in the weapon