Personal Firearms Tactics
for
Home and Workplace

Course duration - 2 Days

July 18 - 19, 2009
Saturday and Sunday
9:30am to 5:30pm

Where: Pitcairn-Monroeville Sportsmen's Club
25 minutes east of Pittsburgh in North Versailles Township

There is unquestionably more to defending one's self, home and family with a firearm than marksmanship and equipment. A competent response involves dealing other people (including family members, bystanders and police), architectural barriers, moving, and recognition of threats which may not be apparent. There will almost certainly be decisions which must be made immediately involving problems like multiple aggressors, the need to protect a child, officious intermeddlers, deciding how much force is warranted, when to intervene in another person's problem and when to walk away, and how to be helpful without making things worse. It must also take into account there will be legal proceedings following just about any shooting.

If you are the sort who is confident he will "just shoot him," read no further - this course is not for you. For others, the F.I.R.E. Institute is sponsoring a course on basic tactical considerations and problem solving for "ordinary Earth people." The course emphasizes recognition and solutions to commonly encountered tactical problems, and decision making in preparation for, and during, sudden violent confrontations.

This This course is for those who have previous, formal training in marksmanship and gun handling, and are now ready to learn the skills and methods necessary to put marksmanship and gun handling skills into context. We assume students in this course have been well-grounded in gun-handling and marksmanship skills. This is not a course on how to shoot. It is a "nuts-and-bolts" course about problem solving and decision making. The central assumption in the course is that trouble has found you in your home, car or workplace, and you must now proceed to solve a life-threatening problem. Covered topics include:

• Basic tactical principles which should guide your decision-making in a dynamic scenario. There will be specific exercises designed to allow students to work with each principle.

• Preparation of others who will likely be around. Spouse, children, siblings and co-workers can either help or make things worse. We discuss how to prepare them to at least not be in the way.

• Working with a partner. Operating in conjunction with a friend, acquaintance, spouse or co-worker, as opposed to acting independently of one another. This includes advance planning, communicating, moving, covering and assisting.

• Dealing with architectural and natural barriers and obstacles without exposing yourself to unnecessary danger (doors, windows, hallways, corners).

• How to recognize and effectively employ cover and concealment during an armed altercation.

• Discussion of weapon selection for various home, work and street environments.

• Shooting in proximity to other people. When shots are fired, confusion erupts, liability follows.

• Putting the shooting principles taught in firearms courses into practice. This course involves several simulation exercises and a good deal of shooting.

• Dealing Dealing with the police. What they need to know, what you need to do.

Course Format and Hours: The course runs two days, from 9:30 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m. each day. We begin with a discussion introducing applicable principles, followed by a series of short lectures and exercises designed to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed. Most lectures occur on the range. There are discreet "units" on particular problems (e.g., dealing with doors), both "cold" and live-fire exercises, and several tactical simulations, short and long. Most exercises will be followed by discussion among instructors and students about the choices they made. Minimum instruction time will be 15 hours. There will be a certificate for those who complete the course.

"Non-Shooting" spouses: Many who rely upon firearms for protection have spouses who "hate guns" or do not understand the process, or otherwise refuse to be armed. In recognition of this aspect of reality, we allow non-shooting spouses to participate in this course with a shooting spouse. Non-shooting spouses will participate in all exercises (except square-range shooting exercises), and must have the same safety equipment as course participants who will be handling weapons. All students have the opportunity to (but are not required to) bring their significant other the after-noon of the second day to observe outdoor exercises pertaining to coordination of effort between family members.

Weapon Requirements: Students may use whatever firearm they expect to have available at home or in the workplace. Each participant must have the requisite level of formal instruction with each weapon they intend to deploy in class. It is recommended students bring whatever holster and spare magazine(s) they use for concealed carry. Ammunition requirements are 600 rounds of hand-gun ammunition, or 500 rounds of carbine, rifle or shotgun ammunition and 100 rounds of hand gun ammunition. No armor piercing, incendiary or tracer ammunition is permitted. NOTE: THOSE WHO TAKE THE COURSE WITH A CARBINE OR SHOTGUN WILL STILL BE CALLED UPON TO CARRY OUT EXERCISES THAT INVOLVE CONCEALED CARRY. BRING YOUR HAND GUN.

Instructor: The RM will be Peter Georgiades, an experienced firearms instructor and attorney who instructs in law, firearms and personal defense. In recent years, he has emphasized contact-distance defense in all of his courses. Mr. Georgiades is certified to instruct by the NRA (rifle, pistol, shotgun and personal protection), the State of Arizona (CCW Instructor - Certificate No. 8769268), and is a member of the International Ass'n. of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI). He is graduate of the Gunsite Academy Law Enforcement Carbine Instructor Certification Course, Marksman's Enterprise 3 day instructor courses for both carbine and pistol, the "Contact Weapons Defense Instructor" course from OSG (Steve Tarani), and several instructor seminars by Giles Stock. He has personally trained with some of the foremost firearms and personal defense instructors in the U.S. An active judo practitioner and competitor, he currently holds the rank of Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt), USJI verified.

Class Size: This course will be limited to eight students. A small class allows more time for each student to work in each of the exercises and simulations, and to fully participate in discussions.

Prerequisites: This course assumes students have been previously instructed, and have kept current. In order to enroll in this course, one must have completed: (1) at least one hand-gun course of a minimum three days duration (21 hours of instruction) from a recognized firearms school or instructor; (2) if the student intends to use a rifle or shotgun in the course, he or she must also have at least one course in that discipline, of at least three days duration (21 hours of instruction). Courses which qualify include, but are not limited to, courses from PFDC, Fire Institute, Gunsite Training Center, Gunsite Training Academy, Marksman's Enterprise, Cumberland Tactics, Peregrine Enterprises, Ken Hackathorne, Larry Mudgett, etc. If you have any question whether your prior training satisfies the prerequisite, please Contact Us for assistance and read our prerequisites page. Note that LFI-I and military basic training do not fulfill this requirement. Please indicate your prior training experience on the Enrollment form.

Cost: $255.00 (members of the host facility receive a $25.00 discount). Tuition is non-refundable within 30 days of the start date of the course. However, if the course is cancelled tuition will be refunded in full.This includes instruction, range fees and course materials. It does not include any personal gear, ammunition or meals. Payment in full is required at the time of enrollment. There is fast food available near the range.

Physical Requirements: This course is designed to assist YOU to make decisions. Your physical condition is one of the factors you must take into account. Therefore, we will work with you in whatever condition you are in. You should, however, notify the Instructor of any particular disabilities you may have, and we expect you to refrain from attempting any exercise that is beyond your physical capability or presents a risk of injury to you or others.

Equipment Requirements:

There is certain equipment which is REQUIRED in every course. One may not proceed in the course without the following:

• Ear protection and Eye protection.

• Cap or hat with baseball-style bill. This is to prevent ejected brass from another shooter's firearm from falling between your eyewear and your eye, burning you. It is important gear.

• Carry-holster with spare magazine pouches and three magazines (speedloaders with carrying pouches for revolvers).

• Flashlight that you would keep in your bedroom, car or office.

• Knee and elbow pads. The inexpensive kind worn by skateboarders, or pads worn by carpenters and carpet layers are fine.

• As with any outdoor firearms course, wear substantial shoes

• 600 rounds of ammunition. We recommend students use one brand of ammunition throughout the course. Different brands and loads of ammunition can significantly affect the "zero" of your firearm. We also suggest students avoid the very cheapest ammunition and reloads. While "match grade" ammunition would be a waste of money, your investment in this course does justify the use of reasonably consistent ammunition. No armor piercing, incendiary or tracer ammunition is permitted.

• Rain gear.

There is other equipment that is not required, but which we know from experience will enhance your experience of the course. We therefore recommend you bring the following:

• Soft drinks or water to drink while down on the range. There is no water on the range itself, and the Club house is too far to run back and forth. No alcohol of any kind is to be consumed within eight hours of the start of any course session or at any time during the course.

• An easy-to-use camera is a good idea, as there will be opportunities for other students to photograph you in various exercises.

• An inert training handgun. We recommend the Red guns by ASP or Blue guns by Ring's. If you do not have one we will provide one for your use when required.

For Details, Information and Directions:

• Contact Us
• Course Schedule
  
• Enrollment Forms
• Credentialing
• Area Motels

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"Having a gun and thinking you are armed is like having a piano and thinking you are a musician"
------ Col. Jeff Cooper (U.S.M.C. Ret.)

This course is sponsored by the Firearms Instruction Research & Education (FIRE) Institute,
a Penna. nonprofit corporation.
Training is provided as a public service.
All students must be 18 years or older. Proof of no criminal history is required.

© 2003 F.I.R.E. Institute