New Lacey Business Focuses On Gun Education

LACEY, NJ — What would you do at the scene of a shooting? Even if you never intend to use a gun, First Level Training sees the value in being informed about firearms. The new Forked River business educates the public on gun safety, firearm handling and crisis management.

Guns have essentially always been part of founder Glenn MacDermott's life. During childhood, he used to visit his uncle in Syracuse, New York, who taught him how to shoot.

MacDermott, an NRA-certified firearms instructor, worked in the automotive business for about 40 years. In that time, he saw a need for a business like First Level Training.

"The concept of this particular business was something that I had been thinking about for a while," MacDermott said. "And I finally got my gusto up, I guess you could say, and started making it happen."

First Level Training opened June 1 at 305 Lacey Rd. MacDermott provides training with Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger (SIRT) equipment.

SIRT pistols only shoot beams of light, so light-sensitive targets can display your accuracy and timing through laser technology. The shop is free of loud noises, live ammunition and shot residue.

MacDermott felt particularly inspired to open the business because of the number of mass shootings in the United States. Violent and property crime have sharply fallen since it peaked in the early 1990s, according to the FBI.

But mass shootings — defined as any incident in which four people are shot excluding the shooter — have been more prevalent in recent years. There have been 337 mass shootings in 2019, outpacing the number of days in a year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

First Level Training shared a video Sept. 19 on its Facebook page from the Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit led by family whose loved ones were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.

The viral public service announcement features kids showing off "back-to-school essentials." It takes a dark turn mid-ad when children talk about objects they might use to survive school shootings. First Level Training called the content in the video "a sad reality."

See the video below:

"As far as enlightening people, it’s a personal choice," MacDermott said. "It’s a real touchy subject. A lot of people just don’t want to know anything about guns (and think) ‘guns are bad. I don’t want guns in my house or anywhere near me.’ But that’s almost like burying your head in the sand because the reality is they’re out there. And not knowing is a very dangerous thing."

That's also why First Level Training runs active-shooter awareness seminars. Their next is from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday (RSVP here), and it's free.

MacDermott doesn't push an ideology. But he believes knowledge in the face of gun violence can help everyone.

While the average person might react to an active-shooter situation by running around, MacDermott teaches better ways to handle the scenario.

"If you hear a gunshot, you get low on the ground and you keep moving," he said. "You’re a harder target to hit, and it’s an unexpected response for a shooter. Just some simple things like this can save a person’s life and give somebody the idea of the active shooter’s point of view what they’re expecting."

First Level Training provides private and group instruction. Prices vary depending on class setting and experience level. Experienced shooters can use the SIRT pistol on the range for a half hour at $29. If you're new to firearm use, MacDermott can teach you basics at $59.95 for an hour.

They also offer a deeper course which includes lessons on different types of guns, how to obtain one and how many you can own. Once customers pass the course exam, they get a First Level Training certification that shows they understand the basics of firearm safety and handling.

MacDermott also offers home lessons for about $100 each. He will bring a SIRT pistol to your home if you can't make it to the shop.

"We try to make people more aware of their surroundings so they’re really safer in their hometown, their home, a restaurant, wherever they are," he said.

See First Level Training's video below:

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Follow Lacey Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com.