Winter Accidents and Your Firearm

Are you prepared for the winter?  Where is your firearm after an accident?  Is your holster good enough to hold your pistol after a fall?

During this writing, we have been hammered with snow storms and many inches of snow in the past week. As a responsibly armed citizen, I am also responsible for snow removal at my home. As I was shoveling several feet of snow, I hit a patch of ice and all I saw was my feet going up in the air. My back hit the ground and I rolled on the pavement in the snow. I got up and dusted the snow off and checked myself for any damage (like blood, spinal injury, head, etc.) then I immediately double-checked if my sidearm fell out. It didn’t and I thought I should write something about my incident.

As a precaution for snow removal or just slipping, if you do fall, make doubly sure that you still have your sidearm or any of your Every Day Carry (EDC). You don’t want to discover later that your firearm is buried in the snow and you have to go back and hunt for it. A snow plow could come by and move it down the street, or you might not be able to find it until the snow melts. This can be very dangerous especially if you have a round in the chamber. It is extremely dangerous if someone else (especially a child) finds it.

Make sure you have a really good holster that will hold your firearm, especially after a fall. There are several retention systems (which I discuss in my book) you can choose from, and this also depends on what you’re doing that will have you increase your holster’s retention. Remember to always have your permit with you if you are carrying concealed. If you do end up hurt and non-responsive, the paramedics may find your firearm and inform the police. They will look for identification and hopefully find your permit so there are few questions to be asked by law enforcement.

Just a few days ago during the snow storm, there were hundreds of accidents on the highway. While I was driving in this mess trying to make my appointment, a new 4×4 fish-tailed in front of me and it slammed up against a guard rail. He was so lucky. If that barrier was not there, he would have ended up at the bottom of the hill and in a world of trouble. Instead, the tires lifted up into the air and crashed back down onto the ground and my car, while applying the breaks, just slid right by him as other cars followed behind me trying to regain control of their vehicles.

Now when you are driving, you want to make sure that your firearm is securely snugged so that if an accident does happen, you don’t want that firearm unsecured and bouncing around in your vehicle hitting you in the face, the head or other parts of your body. There will be a lot of force during an accident and if that pistol is not secured, it could leave the vehicle during the crash and someone else can find. Or it can be very damaging to you while its flying around inside while your vehicle is rolling or hitting obstacles. Get yourself a very good and secure holster mounted in your vehicle. This will save you a lot of headaches, plus it will be quicker to draw from instead of your hip where the seatbelt is overlapping.

If your pistol is missing after an accident and if you are able to move without severe injuries, you’re going to have to find it. If police are on the scene, you will have to present your permit (if needed) and explain to them that your firearm left its holster (I hope you had it secure and not sitting on the seat next to you) and you need help looking for it. They can control the scene and help you search.

Again, if you are in an accident, the paramedics or police may find your firearm if you’re incapacitated. So keep that permit on you if its required in your state.

Recap: After a fall, check yourself for injuries and make sure your sidearm did not leave you. To prevent any danger to yourself or others, make sure you have a high quality mounted holster in your vehicle to prevent harming yourself or your passengers, and to reduce the chance of your firearm from ejecting itself outside after a crash.

Be safe out there, be the responsible firearm owner and always follow the “Concealed Carry Creed”!!!