As firearm instructors, we have a duty to keep our students safe both in the classroom and on the range. We want to remove all distractions that a student or instructor candidate may experience, while keeping our focus on safety. Teaching marksmanship is important, but instilling a safety mindset and proper behavior will leave a lasting impression. It is important to keep and enforce all safety rules, keep modeling the proper behaviors, keep students comfortable, hydrated, fed and clean.
Keep and Enforce All Safety Rules
When I conduct an NRA training course, the first hour is dedicated to the safe handling of firearms. All students are trained in the “NRA’s Three Rules for Safe Gun Handling”:
- ALWAYS Keep the Gun Pointed in a Safe Direction
- ALWAYS Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until Ready to Shoot
- ALWAYS Keep the Gun Unloaded Until Ready to Use
Safety is so important when firearms are being handled that the NRA’s Gun Safety Rules are covered not only at the beginning of the class, but in my classes, they are reviewed and discussed in every lesson. As an instructor, it is important to remember that all NRA courses are “objective based.” This means that as an instructor, I cannot leave one topic and pivot to the next until everyone in the class comprehends the “Learning Objectives” that were just taught. This includes the NRA’s Gun Safety Rules. Repetition and repeated review throughout the day can reinforce these very important safety rules.
When handling firearms, safety cannot be compromised. According to the NRA Training Department, there are certain safety violations that can lead to immediate expulsion from the class. The most serious violation, and one that can abruptly get a student removed from class, is for one student to “flag” another person in the class with their firearm’s muzzle. Safety rules are established for a reason and that is to keep everyone in the class safe and to prevent accidents. Remember, there is no compromise for safety.
Keep Modeling the Proper Behaviors
As instructors, it is important that we model the proper behaviors we want our students to emulate. Many of the students who come to class tell me that even though they may have been around firearms and shooting their entire lives or careers, they were never “formally” taught the proper handling and techniques to be a safe and effective shooter. This is one of the main reasons they are aspiring firearms instructors should attend class. It is essential for instructors to be mindful of everything they are doing when in front of students regardless of if they are experienced or new to the shooting sports.
Students will mirror the behavior of their instructor, including the attitude they witness while he or she handles firearms. Students will also mimic the way the instructor demonstrates things like muzzle control and trigger discipline. It is for these reasons that instructors should always over-exaggerate safety. For example, not only should the instructor make it a point to always keeping the firearm pointed down range, but he or she should verbalize that behavior as well to reemphasize the point. While on the range, when the instructor handles a firearm, he or she should demonstrate as they say, “Make sure to always point your muzzle in a safe direction, keeping your finger off the trigger, and pointed downrange.” Instructors should never assume any of their students already have a foundation of safety behaviors.
If instructors are lax with their firearm handling, students will be lax as well. If instructors are consistent, disciplined, and show respect for the firearm, students will mimic that as well when it is time for them to handle firearms. Safety habits and consistent discipline are the backbone of responsible training.
Keep Students Comfortable
As instructors, it is our job to keep all our students comfortable. When training on the range, a good instructor will do everything he or she can to remove distractions around students so they can learn and perform better. If your class is on an outdoor range and in the middle of summer, there are several things to consider. If your student is thinking about the burning sun on their neck and the sweat running down their forehead, he or she is not focused on safety and the shooting fundamentals.
On the private range where we train, there is not much shade. When our Texas temperatures rise, there are a few extra pieces of equipment we bring to the range. We set up one or two pop-up canopies, depending on class size. By blocking the direct sunlight, stepping under the shade of a canopy can make temperatures feel 15 degrees cooler. We arrange our canopies over our shooting tables, so our students can enjoy some shaded relief while they shoot.
Other amenities we bring to the range for the comfort of our students are portable fans. I’ve tried several kinds and brands over the years but found one type in particular that works the best for what we do. These fans are rechargeable and can be clamped onto our pop-up canopy, shooting tables, or on the arm of a chair. These portable fans are powerful and always come in handy when a student needs a break in front of a cool breeze.
Keep Student Hydrated
It has always been a rule to never to drink while shooting to minimize the risk of ingesting lead. As an instructor, it is imperative that you use common sense. Where I live in southeast Texas, especially on an outdoor range, the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke far outweighs the risk of elevated lead levels during an afternoon of shooting. Do not rely on your students to take care of themselves. Take the initiative.
When my class heads to the range, especially in the summer, I make sure that we have iced drinks to keep my students cool and hydrated. At minimum water must be available to your students. During the hottest parts of summer, I even make sure that there are iced down sports drinks to replace electrolytes and other minerals. It is also important to keep reminding your students to drink. Sometimes they are having so much fun, they forget.
Keep Students Fed
Just like drinking on the range, there has always been a hard-and-fast rule regarding eating while on the range. When you eat on the range, you risk ingesting lead. But I have discovered that some students with medical issues, especially diabetics, will not let me know their situations. So, I always have snacks available.
The hard-and-fast rule regarding eating on the range refers to eating lunch or a full meal. Snacks are important to make sure that your students’ blood sugar does not plummet. Years ago, a couple of students almost “fell out,” so I now make sure that I have snacks such as granola bars available. During the range portion of the class I keep reminding my students to “eat something” to stay at their peak performance. As a result, I often have students approach me after shooting and tell me that they were diabetic and thanked me for having snacks available.
Keep Students Clean
One way to keep your students safe on the range if you provide drinks and snacks is to make sure they maintain proper hygiene. Have hand sanitizer available for students to use before they eat or drink. You can also take water jugs for washing face and hands if water is not available at the site.
When we return to the classroom, I tell all my students to “wash up.” In my classroom, there is a water faucet and sink so the students do not have to leave and go to the bathroom to wash up. Always instruct your students to wash with cold water. Washing with hot water opens the pores so lead and other particulates can enter your skin. That is why many gun ranges do not even have a hot water heater.
As an instructor, it is our job to keep everyone safe while handling firearms and shooting on the range. It is our responsibility to be aware of potential risks and be proactive to mitigate them. Some of these potential risks can contribute to the comfort of our students. Your students expect you to provide a safe place for instruction and training for all dangers that you can see such as unsafe firearms handling and those that you cannot see such as medical issues that could sneak up on you.
