About Our Classes

This course is NCDOJ approved and meets all requirements to apply for a NC concealed firearm permit.

Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals is a comprehensive course for anyone considering owning or carrying a firearm for self-defense. The course is a complete guide to understanding conflict avoidance and situational awareness; home security and home defense; handgun, shotgun and AR-15 basics; shooting fundamentals; the physiology of violent encounters; the legal aspects of using deadly force (including knowing what to do in the aftermath); and a complete guide on gear, gadgets, and ongoing training.

This course meets all standards to be compliant with the updated New York State Police & DCJS training requirements as of September 1st, 2022.

Below is an outline from the NYSP on the new training requirements for Westchester County, New York City, Nassau County, and Suffolk County:

Concealed carry firearm safety training must include 16 hours of in-person live classroom instruction conducted by a Duly Authorized Instructor. The curriculum must include the following topics:

1. General firearm safety, including an overview of firearm and ammunition functions and operation, firearm cleaning and maintenance, safe handling

practices, range safety rules, and proper holster considerations and retention strategies for safe concealed carry. (2 hours minimum)

2. Firearm safe storage requirements, as defined in Penal Law §§ 265.45 and 265.50, and general firearm secure storage and transportation best practices. (1 hour minimum).

3. State and federal gun laws, including the possession disqualifiers under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and New York State law, restrictions on the private sale or transfer of firearms under New York General Business Law § 898, and requirements for keeping firearm license information up to date, properly registering pistols and revolvers, and license recertification and, if applicable, renewal requirements, including but not limited to the provision set forth in Articles 265 and 400 of the Penal Law. (2 hours minimum)

4. Concealed carry situational awareness of surroundings, including firearm display and concealment.

5. Conflict de-escalation tactics that include verbal and non-verbal strategies, including retreating, that are intended to reduce the intensity of a conflict or crises encountered.

6. Adverse effects of alcohol and drug use as it pertains to firearm safety.

7. Best practices when encountering law enforcement (e.g., a traffic stop), including how to communicate throughout the encounter, considerations for disclosing concealed carry status and displaying a valid firearm license, obeying all commands given by the officer(s), and best practices for handling a firearm and self-identification as a lawful concealed carry licensee if the firearm is visible when an officer responds to an incident.

8. The statutorily defined sensitive places listed in Penal Law § 265.01-e and the restrictions on firearm possession in restricted places under Penal Law § 265.01-d.

9. Conflict management.

10. Use of deadly physical force, including the circumstances in which deadly physical force may be considered justified, and when there is the duty to retreat pursuant to Penal Law § 35.15(2).

11. Suicide prevention including recognizing signs of suicide risk and resources to obtain assistance, including a suicide hotline (e.g., 988 Suicide and Crisis

Lifeline).

12. Basic principles of marksmanship, including stance, grip, sight alignment, sight picture, breathing, and trigger control. (1 hour minimum)

Following completion of the 16-hour in-person classroom instruction each student must demonstrate proficiency by achieving a minimum correct answer score of 80% on a written test covering the course curriculum.

Concealed carry firearm safety training must include 2 hours of live-fire training . The curriculum must include instruction on the following topics, for which proficiency will be evaluated during a live-fire assessment:

1. Range safety.

2. Safe drawing, target acquisition, and re-holstering.

3. Dry firing.

4. Safe loading and unloading of ammunition.

5. Performing a firearm condition check, and how to achieve and verify a safe and empty firearm condition.

6. Safely discharging the firearm.

Following completion of the 2-hour live-fire training, each student must demonstrate proficiency by successfully completing a live-fire assessment. To complete the live-fire assessment, the student must:

1. Perform a firearm condition check and demonstrate that the firearm is in a safe and empty condition.

2. Without any ammunition loaded, safely draw the firearm from concealment, acquire a target, and safely re-holster.

3. Safely load the firearm with five rounds of ammunition. Not holster the loaded firearm. Maintain a ready position with the firearm safely pointed downrange.

4. On the Instructor’s command to fire, aim at the target and fire all five rounds from a standing position, from a distance of 4 yards. The target must be a 25 ½ inch by 11-inch paper target. At least four out of the five rounds must be on target.

5. Perform a firearm condition check and verify that the firearm is in a safe and empty condition.

Firearms Safety

Marksmanship Principals

Holsters/Accessories

Personal Training Plans

Whenever children are involved, it’s vital that we consider three important facets of firearms and safety training: Education, Prevention and Action. To cover these three topics, this safety seminar is designed to help adults know more about the why, when and how to address the topics of firearms and safety with kids of all ages. It will also establish foundations for creating positive, welcoming and fun learning experiences for youth, while preventing accidents and promoting the safe, responsible and ethical use of firearms.

This children-focused lesson covers the important aspects of being cautious and safe in any environment, whether firearms are present or not. Participants will also learn the four rules to be safe around guns.

In this module, students are introduced to the basics of handgun safety, including how to safely clear (unload) a semi-automatic pistol. The instructor will explain and demonstrate the seven basic fundamentals for safe and accurate shooting. The lesson is rounded out by taking those basics, and putting them into practice both in the classroom and on the shooting range. This lesson will act as a building block as the student progresses to Women’s Intermediate Pistol.

This module expands on the building blocks outlined in Women’s Basic Pistol, with a detailed and visual explanation of the differences, the pros, and the cons of semi-automatics and revolvers; and even how these firearms can malfunction (and the procedures for correcting those malfunctions). Then, students are introduced to holster options for concealed carry, and what every woman (and man) should know about establishing boundaries using the “color codes of awareness.” This lesson is summarized with a number of on and off the range exercises, allowing the student to put these intermediate skills to practice.

In the final module of the series, the student is introduced to a number of advanced topics, skills and drills. Topics include a detailed explanation of what students should know avoiding, escaping, and defending against an attacker, and even what the student should know about their obligations under the law when it comes to the legal right to use force. The instructor then explains and demonstrates a number of methods of drawing a firearm including from a holster or from a handbag. Three different types of reload methods are demonstrated, and the student is introduced to what they should expect, and what they should know when visiting a live fire range for the first time, including a number of important range commands. This lesson is also concluded with a number of on and off the range drills, including learning how to use cover and concealment, and even how to shoot on the move.

This classroom and live-fire AR-15 Fundamentals course is designed to introduce responsible gun owners to the safe handling, proper maintenance, and effective use of AR-15-style rifles in the context of civilian home defense and defense.

Classroom topics include:

Overview of basic AR-15 nomenclature and function

Cleaning and maintenance

Accessorizing the AR-15

Live-range topics include:

How to safely and effectively operate an AR-15

How to confirm zero

How to improve skills and precision with an AR-15

Would you know what to do if you were deep in the wilderness, and a hunting companion sustained a penetrating chest wound from an errant round? Could you prolong the life of a loved one long enough for the ambulance to arrive, if he or she had sustained a lacerated artery from a violent attacker armed with a knife? While most Americans are comfortable dealing with the cuts and scrapes of everyday life, and tens of thousands have learned the Heimlich maneuver and CPR, most individuals would be a bit less comfortable dealing with severe, life threatening injuries or illnesses when seconds count, and EMS personnel and the emergency room are minutes (or longer) away. In the training course, Emergency First Aid Fundamentals, you’ll learn to not only understand the proper way to assess a patient, you’ll also learn in great detail the proper way to deal with significant issues such as serious bleeding, chest injuries, a compromised airway, spinal injuries, broken bones, and more. While it might seem unrealistic to translate what professional EMTs and paramedics are able to do in an emergency versus the things that nonprofessionals would be capable of, but in life threatening medical and traumatic emergencies, it all boils down to the same thing — sustaining the life of the patient until he or she can be delivered to the emergency room. If you’re ready to become your family’s first responder in all emergency situations, this training cannot be missed. During this training, you’ll do more than simply sit in a classroom learning about these topics, your USCCA instructor will work you through a dozen real world scenarios using simulated patients and the actual products (or field expedients) that you’ll need to understand if you hope to save a life.

In this class, you’ll review an analysis of data gathered from 48 mass shootings that have occurred since Columbine, to determine what can be learned from these tragedies, including whether a reduction in magazine capacity or the banning of any class of firearm would have changed the outcome. You'll also learn whether “gun-free” zones figure into the planning of these mass murderers; whether victim response at any mass shooting has made a difference; and whether “universal background checks” or other proposals by gun control advocates stand a chance of stemming the current trajectory of these shootings. This course summarizes this data with a comprehensive plan designed to eliminate the scourge of these shooters once and for all.

This class focuses specifically on lessons which can help to better protect your House of Worship through being able to identify a mass shooter, creating an emergency operations plan and learning how to treat traumatic injuries that may occur. The lesson covers specific considerations related to Houses of Worship, teaches you how to evaluate your current level of security at your House of Worship, and offers practical exercises which can be done with students to practice the lessons being taught.

AHA BLS Provider course includes the following:

Adult/Pediatric/Infant CPR

Adult/Pediatric/Infant Choking/Ventilation

Adult/Pediatric/Infant AED description