By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Eleven local ladies served notice last weekend that they were preparing themselves to better protect themselves and their loved ones in the event of an emergency.
The group were participants in the Lady’s Firearm Safety class held Saturday, February 24, at State Line Pawn. Although they didn’t get to fire any live rounds, they were taught the proper method of loading, chambering a round and other tidbits to help them become more familiar with a handgun.
Firearms instructors Danny Fountain and Mark Payne and Atmore Police Department Officer Kevin Reaves lectured the ladies, with the accent on how to safely handle a firearm.
Fountain warned the women that the class was an educational experience, not a social event.
“The way you train, that’s how you’re going to learn,” he said. “Have fun and stay safe, but it will not do you any good to sit here, laughing and giggling. You would have had fun, but you didn’t learn anything.”
He said there are three primary rules that should be learned and remembered.
“First, always make sure your weapon is pointed in a safe direction,” he said. “Even though everything might not be over, you still don’t want to be waving a pistol around. Anytime you handle a pistol, remember it’s loaded and ready to shoot.
“The second rule of gun safety, check and see if the gun is loaded or not. In a tense situation, you could press the trigger accidentally before you get it out of the holster. You might end up shooting yourself.
“Third, make sure know what you’re shooting at and what’s behind that target.”
Fountain and Payne talked about a shooter’s stance, and the importance of being set and comfortable before shooting.
He, Payne and Reaves moved up and down the table at which the women sat, answering questions or giving hands-on help with the basics of handling a 9mm pistol, a revolver and a .22-caliber and the difference in them.
Reaves talked briefly about Alabama’s Stand Your Ground Law, which allows a person to legally use a weapon to thwart a threat to his or her life or safety, just before the hour-long class ended.
“Make sure your life is threatened, not just because you’re upset at your old man,” Reaves joked. “If you feel like your life is threatened …you have the right to defend yourself.”
After Payne and Fountain asked if anyone had questions, Payne warned the women they would make some mistakes in learning how to handle a firearm but noted that the better trained they are, the less mistakes they will make before drawing laughter with his final remark.
“If you don’t ask questions, you don’t learn; if you don’t make mistakes, you don’t learn,” he said before rubbing his chin and adding, “Of course, when it comes to firearms, you don’t want to make many mistakes.”