Range Safety Brief: Every firearms training session, particularly live fire events, should start and end with a check on safety and a brief to all participants. Professional shooting instructors, military, police, shooting competitors; all conduct a safety brief to begin the range session.
This opening brief should include a review of firearms safety fundamentals, what protective equipment is required, a description of what is to be performed by the shooters, cease fire procedures, safe areas to load/unload firearms, and an explanation of the range’s physical parameters. The range safety officer (RSO) should be introduced to all participants. Lastly ensure at the opening brief that everyone present is physically and mentally prepared to engage in firearms use.
At the end of the session, all participants should be re-briefed as to how to leave the range area and be given instructions on the condition their firearms should be in as they depart. Further, each active participant should be asked if they observed any unsafe acts or conditions while on the range and if they have any suggestions for improvement. Lastly, a check of each participant should be made to ensure that they were not injured during the range session.
