“SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY”
Know the status of your weapon at all times.
If you are going to be carrying and training with a firearm, it is your responsibility to know the status of that gun. Is it loaded? Is it unloaded? Is the safety engaged? This knowledge does not give you permission to be unsafe. But it does ensure that you are keenly aware of the status of that firearm and you will treat it in a safe manner in accordance with your actions as they relate to that status.
Maintain good muzzle management at all times.
This very simply means that your firearm is pointed in a “safe” direction. The projectile comes out of the muzzle. If the muzzle is pointed at the target when the gun is fired, the bullet will hit the target. A safe direction is any direction that will result in minimal property damage and no unintended physical harm when the gun is fired. Good muzzle management requires you to see all the elements in front of, behind and to the sides of your target. It also requires you to keep your muzzle pointed at the target so that when you fire, you hit the target. Good muzzle management helps to ensure safety and success.
Maintain trigger finger discipline at all times.
This discipline not only ensures that you only pull the trigger when you intend to do so, but also that you operate the trigger in such a manner that ensures success. Trigger finger discipline means that you place your finger on the trigger only when ready to fire. It also means that you operate the trigger without adding any extra movement to the muzzle. That goes back to muzzle management. If the muzzle stays on target, because of your great trigger finger discipline, you will only hit what you are shooting at.
These three rules help with safety and success. But they are only as good as the person who implements them.