Once on range or training site, the OIC should immediately B – Establish FM Comms W/ Fire Desk and request occupation time
After firing or training is complete the OIC should A – Call Fire Desk and request dry time
The RSO’s job is to ___ A – Observe Safety
Who determines level of medical support for units on ranges and training areas? A – Unit commander
Who is overall responsible for the safe conduct of their range or training area? B – OIC
A copy of Fort McCoy Range Operations regulation 350-1 is required on all ranges and training sites? A – True
Fire Desk primary ground frequency is? A – 49:850
When a soldier falls, and twists his ankle and is in need of medical attention; your actions should be. E – Both A and D
Cell phones are an authorized means of communication with Fire Desk? B -False
Who is responsible for ensuring a range safety briefing has been conducted? A -OIC
The OIC of a range or training facility is required to designate a MEDEVAC site for emergencies, at a minimum what size should the landing zone be? B – 100 ft by 100 ft
When unexploded ordnance (UXO) are discovered what actions should be taken? B – Mark it, record its location and report it to the Fire Desk
Failure to report an accident or incident could result in de-certification of the OIC and RSO? A – True
RSO can also act as the ammo point NCO? A – False
During live fire exercises, personnel are required to wear a minimum of , and __ forward of the tower. A – Ear plugs, eye protection, and helmets
Units occupying training areas must maintain a _ meter safe distance from all active artillery/mortar firing positions. C – 350
Live fire events require _ means of communication? B – 2
When an accident or incident occurs on the range, what form is to be completed and turned into Fire Desk? A -FT McCoy accident form, 354-R-E
Blank ammunition and non-blank (live) ammunition may be stored in the same location/ASP? B – False
RSO may serve as LRSO if…… D – All of the above
What is the minimum overall residual risk level for any live fire event on Fort McCoy? B – Medium
North Impact Area is off limits to all personnel? A – True
POV’s are authorized to park on ranges? B – False
All 7.62MM ammunition has the same surface danger zone (SDZ)? A -False
Do not throw or fire pyrotechnics near or towards the following: E -All of the Above
AR385-63/MCO 3570.1
establishes ranges safety policies and responsibilities for firing ammunition, lasers, guided, missiles, and rockets on Marine Corps and Army ranges.
DA Pam 385-63
provides implementation guidance for the Marine Corps Range Safety Program.
SOP
each range or range complex will have its own standard operating procedure (SOP). The SOP for an installation will have installation -specific instructions for range safety. You must read the most current Sop for the range that you will be using.
USMC Range Safety Pocket Guide
The USMC Range Safety Pocket Guide summarizes the policies and procedures needed to conduct a live-fire event. This document contains information on surface danger zones (SDZ) setup for weapon systems. The Pocket Guide also provides the OIC and RSO with a checklist that will assist them with their most common tasks
SOUM
Safety Of Use Memorandums (SOUM) are how the Range and Training Area Management (RTAM) Branch provides range safety information and guidance to the Marine Corps Total Force. This guidance is directive until the SOUM is cancelled, changed or written into the Range Safety Order.
RCO
Responsible for all range safety matters and provides coordination of ranges in the installation complex
OIC
Responsible and accountable for conduct of the exercise and ensuring participants follow safety regulations
RSO
Responsible for range safety for the exercise
LRSO
Responsible for laser range safety for exercises involving lasers
Land
The land area of a range for live-fire and maneuver includes start and cease-fire lines, target areas, and impact areas.
Airspace
refers to any one of several types of controlled and uncontrolled airspace required to support range operations. Airspace over a range may include restricted areas, warning areas, military operations, and air traffic controlled assigned airspace.
Waterways
The range boundaries may include navigable inland waterways such as rivers or lakes. Sea space is the operating area necessary to contain live-fire and support ship to shore training.
Dedicated impact areas
An impact area is a designated area within the limits of a range.
Dedicated Impact Areas are associated with:
non-sensitive ammunition and explosives.
Size of dedicated impact area
usually a large piece of land that several ranges fire into.
What is a dedicated impact area reserved for
the impact and fragmentation of launched or fired ammunition and explosives
Dedicated Impact area can contain what other impact area
high-hazard
Impact Area
The purpose of an impact area is to contain all hazards associated with the ordnance being fired
High-hazard impact
areas that are permanently designed to contain sensitive ammunition and explosives
Why are high-hazard impact areas dangerous
they contain high explosives and sensitive unexploded ordinance
True/False: Never enter a high-hazard impact area without permission from range control
fences, barricades, signs, guards or a combination of these types of positive controls are used to protect unauthorized personnel
Temporary Impact Area
normally for small arms or non-dud producing ammunition. This type of impact exists only for the length of an exercise.
After Use of temporary impact area
After an exercise, the temporary impact area should be capable of being cleared and returned to the original state.
Range Control ______ and __________ airspace during live fire exercises
Manages and deconflicts
What should you do if an aircraft/boat/ship enters your airspace during a live fire exercise
Immediate cease fire and control range control
What does range control do for a range
-Captures vertical hazard limit for each weapon fired
-Coordinates w/ FAA to invoke airspace restrictions for all non-participating aircraft
-Captures operating airspace both lateral and vertical for all exercise aircraft operations
Local SOP’s & airspace requirements
may require the RSO to identify personnel as air sentinels
Installation Commander will coordinate w US Army Corps of Engineers and US Coast Guard to ensure proper notification of:
-waterways involved
-operations to be conducted
-Sector of waterway that must be restricted
Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)
Issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), informs pilots and air traffic controllers about range activities that require civilian aircraft to avoid range and airspace.
Notice to Mariners (NTM)
Issued by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and contains navigation warnings that advise mariners of waterway/sea space restrictions during range exercises.
purpose of a danger zone
to designate areas that protect personnel and property from dangers during training and, to the extent practicable, during combat
design of the DZ is intended to
prevent injury to personnel or damage to property by identifying hazardous boundaries of ricochets and fragmentation associated with live fire training.
surface danger zone (SDZ)
is the danger zone area for munitions fired from the ground.
weapon danger zone (WDZ)
is the danger zone for air-delivered munitions
laser surface danger zone (LSDZ)
is a specific type of danger zone when lasers are in use.
Standard SDZ for small arms
cone and bat wing
How are SDZs created
created from the “ballistic footprint” of a weapon system. Each weapon system’s ballistic footprint is the firing pattern created when a weapon is tested, firing a certain ammunition at certain target media. The characteristics of the firing pattern are measured to create an SDZ.
Cone SDZ
is typically used when conducting training that does not involve fire and movement or fire and maneuver.
Cone SDZ will contain
rounds, ricochets, fragments, and debris.
The cone surface danger zone consists of
a dispersion area, a ricochet area, and an area “A”.
Distance X
is the maximum distance a projectile (including guided missiles and rockets) will travel when fired or launched at a given elevation with a given charge or propulsion system.
The Dispersion Area
is the area that contains projectiles after making initial contact with the target medium. This is the area within the surface danger zone located between the gun target line (GTL) and the ricochet area. This area accounts for human error, gun or cannon tube wear, propellant temperature, etc.
Ricochet Area
The area that contains projectiles after making initial contact with the target medium. The Ricochet Area for the cone SDZ is defined as an additional 5 degrees off the dispersion area line on the left and right sides.
Area A
is the secondary danger area, or buffer zone, that laterally parallels the impact area or ricochet area depending on the weapon system. Area A contains fragments, debris, and components from frangible or explosive projectiles and warheads functioning on the right or left edge of the impact area or ricochet area. For non-explosive projectiles Area A is a standard 100m in width. For explosive projectiles, the width varies by weapon and munition.
batwing SDZ
provides greater containment of ricochets
When should the batwing SDZ be used
designing or conducting training that involves fire and movement, fire and maneuver, flanking fire, or when ricochet hazards outside the range complex boundary may endanger nonparticipating personnel.
Distance Y
is the maximum distance downrange at which lateral ricochet is expected to occur when a projectile is fired at a given quadrant elevation.
Angle P
defines the area beginning at the firing point, located to the left and right of the dispersion area, which contains projectiles after making initial contact with the target medium.
Angle Q
defines the area beginning at distance Y, located to the left and right of the dispersion area, which contains projectiles after making initial contact with the target medium.
Distance W
is the maximum lateral distance a projectile will ricochet after impacting within the dispersion area. Distance W defines the maximum lateral edge of the ricochet area.
The Ricochet Area
is the area to the left and right of the dispersion area that contains projectiles after making initial contact with the target medium
SDZ with exploding projectiles
SDZs are increased to account for fragments and debris from explosions.
DPAM ammo properties
Table 4-1 – 4-23 for ammo and properties of X, Y, etc
Impact Media
The areas around, behind, and the actual target where a projectile may impact
Impact Media effects
Differences in composition between impact media result in different deflection characteristics.
When will SDZs be modified
when your training involves multiple targets, multiple firing points or moving targets
ORM
ID Hazards, Assess Hazards, Make Risk Decisions, Implement Controls, Supervise
Implement Controls
Administrative, Engineering, PPE
Supervise Duties
•Monitoring the exercise for new hazards
•Assigning observers to enforce established procedures and follow through with selected controls
•Adjusting controls which are ineffective
•Determining which controls were effective and ensuring they are implemented for future exercises
Implement Controls
Implementing controls effectively requires clear communication, accountable personnel, and sufficient resources to implement the controls. As you take action to implement controls, consider the three types of controls.
Make Risk Decision
As the OIC, you will develop control measures to reduce risks for each hazard. Develop control measures starting with those with the lowest RAC or highest
Assess Hazards
For each hazard identified, you must determine the associated degree of risk in terms of severity and probability. Once probability and severity are established, hazards must also be categorized. The risk assessment categories are described in in MCO 3500.27.
Use the Risk Assessment Matrix to determine the Risk Assessment Code (RAC). The RAC represents the overall risk of a hazard. You will determine the RAC for each hazard by using each hazard’s severity and probability category.
ID Hazards
Hazards during a range exercise can result from the weather conditions, terrain, types of weaponry, and ammunition used. The possible risks associated with hazards can range from low risk that personnel will injure themselves to high risk that personnel may lose their lives. Hazards can also be a threat to property and command interests.
MCO P8020.10
Establishes regulations for ammunition handling, accountability, and reporting
MCO P8020.10 has requirements for
-Transportation
-Storage and handling
-Security and accountability
-Malfunction reporting
MCO 8011.5
provides additional safety program requiremetns for Class V(W) training ammunition.
MCO 8011.5 provides
-Policies
-Procedures
-and other information for ammunition used in training
Chapter 7 MCO P4400.150
Consumer-Level Supply Policy Manual establishes policies to account for ammunition received, expended, and returned
NAVMC 11381 Expenditure Report
Requisitioning
Custody Tracking
Expenditure Reporting
Receipt of ammunition
NAVMC 11381 must reflect
-DODIC
-Nomenclature
-Lot/Serial Number
-Quantity Received
Prior to range going live
you will report the exact type, DODIC, and quantity of ammunition on hand to Range Control.
When the range goes cold
the OIC will report to Range Control the type and quantity of ammunition expended and quantity being turned in.
Ammunition not expended
is turned over to the ammunition technician for return to the Ammunition Supply Point (ASP).
At turn-in you will provide
Quantify expended
Quantity turned in (serviceable)
Quantify turned in (unserviceable)
Use of damaged ammo
Do not use any ammo with visible defects or damage
Live & Blank Ammo
Never stored in or issued from the same place at the same time
Ammo not fired
All ammo that is not fired during an exercise must be returned to the ammunition supply point in original packaging after the exercise
Discarding of Ammo
Do not indiscriminately discard ammo to avoid returning unfired ammo to the proper storage function
MCO 8025.1
OIC must report
-Unit firing ammo
-Type of ammo that malfunctioned
-Weapons used to fire the ammo
-Description of the malfunction
-Prevailing conditions at the time of the malfunction
-Storage conditions
-Remarks or any other important info concerning the incident
NAVMC 10155
Ammo Malfunction Data Collection Card provides a list of essential data elements
UXO and Misfire Procedures
Order a cease fire and contact range control anytime someone experiences an ammo malfunction that presents a safety risk
-Range control will provide you with direction to either continue the exercise or halt the exercise until the problem with the ammo can be resolved
NAVMC 10155 Elements
What happened
Date/time and weather considerations
Ammo Specifics
Ammo condition
Weapon specifics
Non-Explosive ammo misfire
when there is no immediate safety risk, follow the misfire procedures within the range SOP and the technical manuals for that weapon and ammunition.
Enviromental Impact & OIC responsibilities
The officer in charge and the range safety officer are responsible for both protecting personnel from harm due to weather and ensuring the integrity of the safety controls.
Additionally, they are also responsible for limiting the impact of personnel and equipment on the environment
Environmental OIC/RSO must account for
The range SOP will explain the environmental issues that may impact your training exercise.
The OIC and RSO must account for:
Weather such as lightning, precipitation, and winds
Fire conditions and the fire threat level
Environmental surroundings and endangered species
Emergency Procedures Summary
Call a cease-fire!
Provide first aid and contact range control.
Maintain contact with range control.
MEDEVAC Proceudures
the OIC will inform range control of the:
Type of MEDEVAC to request (air or ground)
Number of patients and type of injury
Location of the patients
Possible hazards to aircraft or medical vehicles at the site
Methods of marking the site if needed for pickup
Source of injuries
Patient’s age, sex, blood type, name, grade, and SSN
Range Warnings SOP
The SOP will explain:
What signals are used for a specific range
Where to place the signals
Reason for Range Warnings
The correct placement of range warning signs and signals will limit the direction of firing and alert people to the risk of entering an impact area or range.
Red Streamer
The red streamer (also called the red signal streamer) is used to warn people that they are entering a range area where a live-fire exercise is being conducted. The red streamer needs to be placed at range gates and other entrances. Red streamers can also be used on towers, flag poles, and other locations depending on the SOP for a particular range.
Red Artillery Streamer
The red artillery streamer is much larger than the red streamer and is used for large exercises because it can be seen from farther distances. Red artillery streamers should be hung in prominent positions to warn people that they are entering a range area where a live-fire exercise is being conducted. Certain ranges require hanging a red artillery streamer. Be sure to read the SOP for your range to find if and where the artillery streamer is to be hung for the exercise you are conducting
Lateral Limit Markers
Lateral limit markers are often used in field firing ranges to denote the safe direction of fire as well as to provide a visual reference to warn of danger. Limit markers establish the left and right boundaries of fire.
Red Flashing Lights
Red flashing lights are used for night firing exercises or anytime when an exercise takes place in reduced visibility conditions. Red flashing lights are often placed in the same general proximity of red streamers, e.g., gates, poles, and towers.
Primary Communication
Almost always a radio
-Primary freq will be designated by range control
-Backup freq is normally designated by range control in case the first frequency fails
Secondary Communication
If primary fails a cease fire is in effect until it gets up
