So, You Accidentally Shot Your Friend?

When we are out training, we always have a certified EMT Basic or Paramedic with us. It’s quite common to see first responders wanting to be involved with the militia, its natural. So the groups I train with tend to be well prepared for most accidents, injuries, and traumas. Our medical professionals provide some training for us so we also can handle certain types of events.

This article is not about medical training.

Let’s say you and your buddies are at the range and you are doing fire team drills with live ammunition and someone shoots themselves in the foot. Bad situation.

Obviously, the first thing to do is to render aid – assess and address the injury

But do you call 911?  YES, of course. Call 911 immediately. Get an ambulance available, let them know exactly where you are at and/or where you will be.

But when on the phone with a 911 operator, DO NOT say “someone has been shot” or “my friend shot my other friend” or “my friend shot himself”, this implies criminal or suicidal intent or an active shooter, you don’t want the entire sheriff’s office showing up with rifles at high-ready.

DO say “we’ve had a training accident involving a firearm.” Inform the operator exactly what you and your group are up to, and inform them that there is not an active threat. Speak clearly, because how you report this information to the operator will determine a first responder’s attitude.

It’s important to report to the operator the number of people who are armed, the number of people who are injured, the nature of the accidental injury including a full description of the injury, and your exact location. The operator will ask you for your name, give it to them. The operator will ask you for the name of the injured party, give it to them. You do not have to go into specific detail about how or why the accident occurred except that it was a training accident – nor do you have to identify everyone in attendance or the name of your organization, you are not required to make a statement at this time.

Legally speaking, it is important that you don’t make a statement.[adinserter block=”1″]

If the operator is intentionally trying to get you to make a statement, just inform the operator that you do not wish to make a statement at this time. This is not vital information, this is the job of the sheriff anyhow.

Stay on the phone with the operator until first responders arrive. If you unintentionally let the operator infer that there is an active threat or if it seems like you are withholding vital information from the operator, the police or swat may arrive before the medical staff and the medical staff will not be allowed to render aid until the perceived threat has been assessed or neutralized.

If you are located in an area that an ambulance cannot reach, you may consider moving the injured party closer to a roadway if they are able. Have someone who is unarmed stand at the nearest roadway to flag emergency personnel to indicate where the injured party is located. That person should also reinforce the facts that there is not an active threat, that this was a training accident, and that the drill has been suspended.

If you are in a very remote region, you may need flares to attract the attention of Search and Rescue.

Obviously, the best way to prepare for an accident is to have safety rules in place before training. Having an experienced range master who can manage a safe range and rehearsing without live ammunition will cut down on a huge percentage of accidents that could occur and will help in grain safety procedures into your muscle memory.

Keep your booger hook off the bang switch.

Don’t flag your teammates and keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to utterly destroy what’s in front of you.

The 911 operator and first responders are available to help and it would be negligent to not call them out of ignorance or fear, but be clear and concise and do not give them any reason to doubt you or be suspicious of you, your organization, or the threat level in the situation because an accident can swiftly turn into an ‘officer involved shooting’.

By Sovereign Wil – DontComply.com