John McLaughlin, IFC Chair 515-724-4164 jmclaughlin@iowafc.org
(MOVILLE, Iowa) — The Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) strongly condemns Thursday morning’s attack at Perry High School.
“Our prayers are with the Perry community following this morning’s act of evil. Iowa must, finally, harden soft-targets and empower school staff who love their children enough to protect them to do so. Signs don’t stop evil, good people do,” said IFC President, Dave Funk.
IFC has offered free active-shooter training to Iowa educators and school staff, most recently at the IFC Educators Academy this past August in Johnston. The intensive three-day training program provided participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to effectively respond to active shooter threats in schools.
IFC has also worked with school districts in the state to increase their security and allow for trained staff to exercise their constitutional rights on school grounds.
IFC continues to lobby Iowa lawmakers to ban “gun-free zone” signs that are endangering the lives of students and emboldening criminals to commit acts of evil. Additionally, IFC has included in this effort, the need to end Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) policies that are preventing schools from taking the necessary and scientifically proven steps needed to protect students and staff during a crisis.
The Iowa Firearms Coalition, Iowa’s official NRA State Association, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s only effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.
IFC is embarking on a new venture – one designed to keep Iowa’s school children safer. IFC is offering a part of the SOLUTION when evil walks through the doors of our schools. Gun-free zones, like schools, are attractive to active shooters because they will not encounter armed resistance to their assault, until the police arrive. And our children’s bodies stack up.
IFC is offering eighteen $1,000 scholarships to cover the cost of the Academy for the selected participants. Several scholarship applications have already been filed. If you are employed by Iowa schools, have a Permit to Carry (or can obtain one prior to the Academy), and want to be prepared to protect the students in your school, you can file a scholarship application HERE.
Listen to Michael Ware of IFC talking with Simon Conway on an iheart.com podcast about this opportunity.
ACADEMY INSTRUCTION
The training will feature three renowned instructors:
Adam Winch / military veteran and police trainer, of Defenders-USA
John McLaughlin / Chair of the IFC Board & Certified Instructor
The 30 hours of training begins with an in-depth review of the history of active shooters in school situations, and the necessity of having Present, Trained and Willing defenders at the school, to protect the children. This premise is the foundation of the course and is derived from over twenty years of research on mass shooting incidents, by Lt. Col. Ed Monk. He provides a compelling narrative and breaks down the statistics, drawing a mathematically derived conclusion that ONLY by having Present, Trained and Willing defenders on-site will casualties be reduced. This portion of the training will be live streamed to Iowa educators wishing to watch remotely (watch for future information on how to access), and will also be recorded for future training sessions.
The remainder of the training focuses on building skills through dry fire, then live fire at a variety of distances and speeds, repetition, incorporating basic tactical movement, and focusing on accuracy and firing under pressure. Participants will have a baseline assessment before the training. Additional blocks of training include Trauma Medicine, Deep Concealment for Educators, and What to Do When the Shooting Stops.
Three indoor ranges at CrossRoads will be used for the training. Six participants will work with one of the instructors and each range will have a Range Safety Officer to assist. There will be a second skills assessment prior to the end of the Academy.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
This is an opportunity to become part of the solution. To seek individual training like this at your own expense would be very costly. This is an immersive experience featuring modern learner-centric educational theory and data-driven analysis of real world threats. Our response to active shooters at schools cannot be the simple offering of thoughts and prayers. We must counter the active shooter threat.
Host Location: Fort Des Moines Church of Christ 244 E. Army Post Road Des Moines, IA 50315
Cost: Free (Suggested $20 free will donation to assist in covering Ed’s travel and lodging)
Seating is limited to 150 people, so RVSP today! IFC encourages members of law enforcement, church and school security teams, armed civilians and anyone interested in mitigating the threat of active killers to attend this science-based presentation.
Ed Monk grew up shooting firearms of all types from the time he was 5 years old. After going through West Point, he served as a U.S. Army Officer for 20 years retiring as a Lt. Colonel and Battalion Commander in 2007. Since retiring from the military, Ed has continued in Law Enforcement but also picked up a very specific training focus along the way. Ed became very interested in the study of active shooters and how to best stop them some years ago. After retiring, Ed sought out advanced levels of personal professional development by becoming a Rangemaster certified instructor (master level) for handguns, certified by ALERRT as a CRASE instructor and by Response Options (which became ALICE) as an instructor for Solo Officer Response to Active Killers.
From his lifetime of momentum of protection, came his laser focus on understanding and countering the active shooter threat. Ed began to see there was very little specific attention given towards training based on how to counter that threat it in a realistic, logical way that saves the most lives.
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