If you and your friends practice proper gun safety etiquette, the event that someone will be injured during a day of shooting at the range or out in the desert is highly unlikely. However, it is always important to be prepared. LAX Firing Range, a shooting range popular with Long Beach residents, shares why you should always have an accident emergency action plan.

In the unfortunate event that someone is injured during a competition, firearms training or on the range, everyone should know that they have an important part to play in saving the person’s life.

The first and most important step is going over the emergency plan with everyone in attendance, this is the only way for each individual to know what their specific duties are in the event of an accident.

Imagine the following scenarios:

  • During a firearms training class, a student withdraws their firearm and negligently discharges into their own leg.
  • Someone at the range experiences a firearm malfunction, a friend comes over to help and is negligently shot in the chest.
  • You’re attending a firearms competition, a competitor trips, negligently shooting their shotgun into you and two other bystanders.

None of these scenarios are made up, all of them have happened. Now we must ask ourselves, “tragedy has struck, now what?”

 

Select a medical first-responder.

If your group is prepared or at least someone lucky, there will be an individual who has some degree of medical training, whether it is a first-aid certification or someone who is a medical professional.

Call 911.

If no one has done it yet and you are busy attending to the victim, tell a specific person to call 911, be sure to get verbal and visual confirmation that they heard your command. Tip: don’t simply say “call 911” to the group, everyone might assume someone else is making the call.

Secure unattended firearms.

In the panic of an accident, shooters might leave their weapons unattended as they rush to the victim’s aid. Specify an individual to properly unload the weapons, switch on the safeties and stow the weapons in a safe place. This will ensure no further negligent discharges occur.

Once medical professionals arrive, step out of the way and let them do what they need to do.

 

About Long Beach Shooting Range

LAX Firing Range is a top-rated, indoor shooting range in the Long Beach and Los Angeles areas. We boast fully-automated shooting lanes, a gun cleaning service, cheap ammunition and a large selection of rental guns. We are located at 927 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood CA, 90301. Phone: (310) 568-1515.