Hey teachers: quiet in the schools, please!

Hey Teachers: quiet in the schools, please!

Since the tragic events at Sandy Hook elementary many people have requested that teachers be armed. I fully support this since I have young children and want them to be safe. Like millions of other parents, we send our kids off to school each day knowing they are safe and hope they have a good day each and every time we send them off. School shootings are nothing new. Back in the 1990’s, President Bill Clinton wanted to have armed guards in the schools to keep the kids safe. The NRA has a program called The Shield Program to arm the teachers. Many have flocked to get their concealed carry permits.  Many have been on the news to publicize the fact they are concealed carry holders and carry in the schools.

It’s awesome that so many teachers are carrying concealed or looking to earn their permits. There is just one issue I have with the media frenzy over this. By going on the local and national news outlets you just lost your tactical advantage to carrying concealed and could yourself become a target of an active shooter. If there is an active shooter planning a shooting at the school where you teach and they are familiar with your school, they now know where a threat resides and could target you and your students first. Do not give any reason to stand out!

The news media outlets are a good deterrent to use for sure. However, let others be the name and face for the media. The less the public knows about you, the better. Let the district public relations group, second amendment advocates, shooting groups or another party be the spokespeople for this topic. By remaining anonymous you will gain the tactical advantage and will keep the element of surprise against an active shooter.

Think of it this way, when you see a “hyper tactical” individual that looks like they are going on a safari in Wal-Mart or a person wearing a shirt that says “Keep Calm I Carry”.  What’s the first thing that comes to mind? That person is armed and carrying a firearm should be the answer. What about the person who is in plain, everyday casual wear, not advertising anything out and about with their family? I dress this way and I’m always carrying concealed! I try to blend in and not stand out as best as I possibly can. Would this make me a target for the criminal element? It may or may not, but if so, then I am prepared for an encounter. Are you?

Let’s cover the topic of training and what should be considered by all teachers and school district employees that carry in the schools. Most school districts require the employees to have a certain amount of hours of training and they need to keep the firearms on their persons at all times. In my opinion the training should these courses: The NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course, Concealed Carry Permit Course, Personal Protection Inside The Home and Personal Protection Outside The Home (both the basic and advanced course). This will provide an estimated total of 36 hours of both classroom and range time instruction. It will also provide the school district employees with the knowledge/skills necessary to counter any threat they encounter in both their personal and professional lives. Ideally this should be on a volunteer basis for the school district employee and not mandated by the state.

Due to the political climate, there are some that believe an armed teacher is a bad idea. This is just pure ignorance at its worst! Teachers who are well trained and carry are the best line of defense for their classrooms. Keep in mind; if there is an active shooter, the teachers are not going to run out into the halls with guns blazing. Just the opposite! In an active shooter situation the concealed carry holders should barricade and in a safe location, behind cover, protect themselves and those in their immediate area. If all the students are locked in the classroom with an armed teacher, the active shooter does not have a target rich environment and the AS is in fear of kicking in a classroom door because of the armed teacher, a tragedy can be avoided. The first responders will have the situation resolved shortly after they arrive.

So teachers, how do you feel about the tactical advantage of keeping your names and faces out of the press? I think it’s a great idea! The bad guys don’t know your name, they won’t recognize your face and you are in total concealment. Now that’s the best tactical advantage to protect our precious little ones we entrust in your care every day.

For those who live in Utah and are interested in the courses we offer, please visit our website at Utah CCWTraining.  For those who live outside of Utah and are looking for NRA courses, please visit the NRA Courses site.

 

Chambered vs. Unchambered

Chambered or Unchambered?

 

 

Do I carry with one in the chamber or not? That is the question a ton of concealed carry and self-defense advocates are debating. There are those that claim "you might as well carry a club instead of a gun if you don't carry with one in the chamber". There are some that say it's safer to carry without. The main question here is, “how do you feel”? We will cover a few of these areas in-depth and you will need to decide for yourself which is better for you.  Safety is the main concern!

Unfortunately, concealed carry classes are the very first organized firearms course many people take.  In some cases, this might be the only course they ever take.  This is unfortunate!  Everyone should take a firearms related course at least once every year or two.  It might not always be in the budget or hard to find the time for it.  However, if you carry a concealed firearm, it is your responsibility to become as proficient with the firearm as possible.  Both with the draw and shot placement!!!

With an unloaded firearm, how often do you practice your draw?  Is it a fluid motion or do you hit a few snags?  Here is a tip:  When you have some “me time” pick out an area of your home where you can practice the draw.  Be sure to verify your firearm is unloaded and you do not have any ammo in the area with you.  If you are using a semi-auto I would recommend to not have a magazine inserted while practicing (even after you have verified the firearm is unloaded).  Practice the draw in front of a mirror and see how it looks and feels to you.  Where was your trigger finger when you drew?  Did it slip from the frame on to the trigger?  If so, then you need to practice a lot more with drawing an unloaded firearm before you carry with one loaded!  There is no such thing as accidental discharge.  They are all negligent discharges (aka ND) because the firearm owner did not take the time to train or practice safety.

Presentation of the firearm can be a hazardous time for the shooter in a self defense situation.  Stress will be high and the adrenaline is pumping!  It’s not the same cushy environment where you were practicing your draw technique feeling ridiculously like Harry Calhoun.  In a stressful self defense situation the last thing you need is a self inflicted wound from your own ND.  How ridiculous do you feel practicing that draw now?   The draw and presentation need to be practiced with an unloaded firearm as often as possible!  Be sure you know your holster and what type of retention you are using.  If you are using an outside the waistband holster you may have a snap, thumb, or trigger finger release.  Use caution with the Serpa style holsters and make sure your trigger finger does not hook back into the trigger during the “pull-chest” and “rotate-chest” positions.  Keep that trigger finger on the frame until you are on target and have made the decision to fire. 

Take a look at the video below.  Was there a ton of time between the chambered vs. unchambered? 

 

Yes, this was a long amount of time to draw, rack the slide, aim and shoot compared to carrying with one in the chamber.  This amount of time could have been the difference between life and death in the event you had to escalate to use deadly force.  Train as you fight and expected the unexpected.  Nothing will be as you plan or hope for.  What you can plan for is that you have properly prepared yourself for the unexpected situation you may find yourself in some day.  I pray to God this day never comes for my family, friends or my students but if it does we know the laws and how to act accordingly. 

*The primary causes of firearm accidents are carelessness and ignorance.  Remember to learn, train and educate correctly.  Find an instructor in your local area or join a local IDPA league in your area.  For those in Utah, feel free to contact us at any time for training.  Whether its defensive shooting, Concealed Carry Courses, Hunter Education, NRA Courses or AR-15 classes, we do it all.  Contact us at Utah CCW Training.