Making Holes; Patching Holes

On the Sunday after SHOT Show, I attended the Emergency First Response for Firearms Instructors course taught at the Commonwealth Criminal Justice Academy (CCJA) in Fredericksburg, Virginia. This one day program is the classroom only portion of CCJA’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) program and is designed for the express purpose of preparing firearms instructors with the knowledge and skills to deal with a treatable gunshot wound.

You would think that this is something that happens hand-in-hand with the firearms instructor training. Well… it would be a good idea, but it’s just not that way in far too many locations. The reality that results (and this isn’t criticism, just observation) is firearms instructors who have the same level of first aid training as every other police officer: Advanced First Aid. Is that enough? Maybe – depending on the motivation and skills of the instructor. Is “maybe” good enough? Not when we’re talking about saving someone’s life – or not. Further, there is more to being prepared for such an eventuality than just the first-aid / trauma training.

As a firearms instructor of over 20 years, I firmly believe that this course should be taken by every firearms instructor out there. Whether you work for a law enforcement agency or are a commercial shooting instructor, being prepared for the worst cannot be overvalued. You MUST be prepared to deal with the worst case scenario: a student of yours on your range being shot. It’s nice to think this would never happen but it does. In fact, it happened right next to me while I was in the police academy way back in 1986. So, I knew it could happen then. Eight years later I became a firearms instructor and just assumed I’d been taught everything I needed to know as an instructor. Here it is 23 years after that and I’m still learning (good instructors always do).

I had previously attended the CCJA TCCC program and knew the value. This one-day course is (essentially) the first-aid and practical skills part of the TCCC program but with added information particular to those who work as or perform the duties of a firearms instructor.  Let me ask a few questions and if you can’t positively answer YES to each and every one of them, I submit to you that you need to take this course.

Is there an emergency preparedness and response plan written for your range?  (every range you use).

Is the exact geographical location of that range noted clearly in the plan?

Is the nearest emergency first-aid transport facility notified and on standby? (do you even know what it is?)

Is there a properly equipped and regularly maintained trauma kit on hand? (Does every instructor know where it is?)

Are you properly trained to use all of the equipment in that kit?

Do you have adequate primary and secondary communications with your nearest trauma care center?

If no transport is readily available, do you have a prepared and on standby transport capability?

Do you know how, when and on what body location to apply a tourniquet?

Do you know how to pack a wound?

Do you know how to maintain an airway?

I’ll say this again. If you can’t answer a positive YES to each and every one of those questions, then I suggest you attend this training. For the investment of one day of your time and the cost of the day’s training there is no way to estimate the future value.

For more information you can check out the CCJA website or contact them. If you’re not prepared – get prepared.