RSO Trainee Range Safety Officer Training
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SFTSC RSO Trainee Range Safety Officer Training This Program has been designed and developed the for Santa Fe Trail Sportsman’s Club, to train personnel to become Range Safety Officers at the SFTSC facility. This certification is not valid outside of the SFTSC. Training will use seminar/ classroom situations to impart knowledge and prepare trainees for situations on the range. Demonstration on the range, under the guidance of trained RSO’s, is an important part of this training. Practice will take place on the range during live fire activities. Competence will be achieved by acting as Assistant RSO’s, until which time the CRSO or other designated RSO have; (a) served as an assistant under the trainee (b) observed the trainee in the role of acting RSO (c) after conferring with CRSO and other RSO’s and determine the student to be competent. No time limit is set for completion. Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO) advises the management on updating, maintenance, and safety considerations of the facility, helps develop safety training procedures and standard operating procedures. Range Safety Officer (RSO) supervises shooting activities as prescribed by the range Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs). Assistant Range Safety Officer (ARSO) supervises shooting activities as prescribed by the Range Standard Operation Procedures and as directed by the RSO. The ARSO can be a CRSO, RSO or RSO Trainee, however, if you are working as an ARSO this puts you in a supporting role to the designated RSO. Range Safety Officer Trainee (RSO Trainee) personnel receiving education to achieve RSO certification. Approved Revised Page !1 of !26 SFTSC RSO Trainee How can RSOs help prevent problems on the range? • Educate users The RSO is in charge of education. During your RSO Brief, lay out the rules and expectations. Answer questions, and provide feedback and guidance. Your job is to maintain safety, because you are well trained, and experienced. • Provide direct range supervision. Walk the firing line, provide individual safety instruction within the bounds of overall safety. If you can make a correction quickly, do so. If you need to call a cease fire because several people are having the same problem or it will take your attention from the group, to make a safety correction, it is your duty to do so. If your flights/classes are experiencing the same issues, give these issues more time and detail in future pre-firing line instruction. Correct this flight, make notes and educate the next. • Enforce Range safety rules. Major violation: a deviation from the 3 fundamental rules of gun handling, rules for safe gun usage, the failure to obey range rules, failure to obey range commands and/or the RSO. Minor violation: would be the intercession of an RSO, prior to the action becoming a Major violation. Address breaches in safety, minor ones may be corrected and the course of fire continued. Major or continuing infractions should be handled in a manner that is in everyones best interests. Either by one-on-one instruction, not on the firing line by the RSO, or by removing the violator from the range. Inexperience shooters or those lacking the proper education, or experience, should be removed from the flight and given one-on-one instruction, and upon successful demonstration of the knowledge or skill, the shooter should be returned to the line at the next opportunity. RSOs will make many judgment calls but we should clearly understand the rules, guidelines and behaviors we are expecting. Approved Revised Page !2 of !26 SFTSC RSO Trainee RSOs will make many judgment calls but we should clearly understand the rules, guidelines and behaviors we are expecting. The range SOPs, guide the RSO; the RSO guides the users; Educate to reduce incidents: Warnings to correct safety concerns Penalties depend on severity; Immediate correction and instruction Removal from the firing line with remedial training Removal from the Range Loss of range access Gun Safety Rules Fundamental Rules for Safe Gun Handling 1. ALWAYS keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction. 2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. 3. ALWAYS keep the firearm unloaded until ready to use. 4. Always treat firearms as if they are loaded. Rules for Using and Storing a Gun 1. Know your target and what is beyond. 2. Be sure the gun is safe to operate. 3. Know how to use the gun safely. 4. Use only the correct ammunition for your gun. 5. Wear eye and ear protection. 6. NEVER use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting. (Anyone drinking or using drugs will be ask to leave the property.) 7. Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions. 8. Store guns so they are NOT accessible to unauthorized persons. General Range Rules See Appendix 2 Range Rules Approved Revised Page !3 of !26 SFTSC RSO Trainee Site-Specific Range Rules No Automatic firearms No Long arms on the Pistol Range No Long Range Rifles (50 BMG, 338 Lupua, etc) on the 100 yard range. Administrative Items (examples) 1. Parking in designated area (do not block range road or access to ranges) 2. Restrooms are located ….. 3. Check in at …… FIRING LINE COMMANDS State and explain standard range commands that will be used for specific shooting event(s), e.g., formal competition rules are specified in NRA, USPSA, IPDA, or other governing agency rule books. Competitions must conform to the governing agency. The following are common commands and should be used as needed. That does not mean you will use every command, but if a command fits your situation use the command. Do not “make up” or change the meaning of commands as this will just confuse shooters at other venues. During your RSO brief you will go over each command you use during the event. “As you were” means to disregard the command just given. “Carry on” means to proceed with what was being done before an interruption. “Relay No. __, Match No. ___ (or naming the match), on the firing line” means these shooters are to move to their firing points. “Is the line ready?” allows a shooter with problems to raise an arm and call “Not ready on target # … ” Ask: What do you do if you are not ready when you hear the “Is the line ready” command? Approved Revised Page !4 of !26 SFTSC RSO Trainee Raise your arm and make RSO aware of your need for more time. (RSO’s give your shooters time, getting in a hurry is a Safety Hazard.) “The line is ready” means all shooters are ready to begin. “Ready on the right!” ; “Ready on the left!” ; “Ready on the firing line!” is the sequence of commands that gives shooters their last chance to signal “Not ready.” “Ready on the firing line!” means that targets will be exposed in three to five seconds. “Commence firing” signals shooters to begin shooting. This command may be signaled verbally, by a whistle or horn blast, or by moving the targets into view. “Misfire or Hangfire” Misfire is called by a muzzleloading shooter to inform the RSO and other shooters that a firearm failed to fire and a hazardous condition may exist. A hangfire (a delay in the ignition of the cartridge), can happen with either muzzleloaders or modern firearms, keep the firearm pointed downrange and wait at least 30 seconds for modern firearms, or at least two minutes for muzzleloading firearms, prior to correcting the malfunction. “Cease firing!” notifies shooters to stop firing immediately and await further instructions. “Cease firing” may be signaled verbally, by a whistle or horn blast, or by moving the targets out of view. Additional commands may follow. Emphasize that this command can be given by anyone observing an unsafe condition, e.g., if a person is downrange. It also a good idea to have all shooters and RSO’s to echo this command. The range is a noisy place and the shooter on the end of the line my not hear this command above the ambient noise. Ask: What two range commands may be issued by shooters? “Cease firing” and “Misfire or Hangfire or Squib.” Ask: What does “Cease firing” mean Shooters should immediately stop shooting, echo the command, and “stand- by” for further instructions. Ask: What does “misfire” mean? That the muzzleloading firearm failed to fire and a hazardous condition may exist. Approved Revised Page !5 of !26 SFTSC RSO Trainee Ask: What does Hangfire mean? The cartridge did not perform as expected, e.g. the firing pin fell but the cartridge did not fire. Ask: What actions must be taken? The shooter must keep the muzzle pointed downrange for at least 30 seconds. After which immediate action drills should be preformed e.g. eject round, if only brass is ejected the bore should be checked for stoppages. Ask: What does squib mean? A squib is a cartridge that did not sound, feel, or act normally e.g. the report was quieter than normal, recoil was less than normal, ejection of the brass did not take place or was stove-piped. Ask: After clearing a Misfire, Hangfire or Squib, what action should take place before you attempt to fire the firearm again? The bore should be checked for stoppage. “Is the line clear on the right?” ; “Is the line clear on the left?” means the RSO(s) should check that all firearms are safe and clear, e.g. magazines out, with actions open, and chambers empty. “The line is clear” a declaration from each RSO that all firearms clear and safe. “Go forward, score targets, change and/or paste” (command as needed) authorizes shooters to go forward of the firing line to change targets.