January 14th, 2008
Here’s a great article by Brian R. Johnson and Greg L. Warchol: Cold-Weather Training Issues
Many agencies never provide firearms training in cold settings. Instead, the training may be suspended during colder months, or it may be moved indoors to protect the officers and the training staff from the effects of the cold. In these indoor settings, officers often appear for their training wearing their cold-weather gear. When they prepare for their training, however, they take off their heavy outer jackets, gloves, and hats; shoot their qualifying course; put their cold-weather clothing back on; and go back to working the road.
A key to effective training is that it must simulate the real world as closely as possible. You play the way you train, and if your training is sub-par, your performance in the real world is going to suffer.
One of the main points made in the article is that the actual clothing worn in the real world, including gloves or lack thereof, needs to be used in the training. A huge part of the body’s performance in tough situations is based on muscle memory, and training with one type won’t prepare you for drawing your weapon while wearing a different one. Realistic cold weather training not only prepares officers for action in the cold, but it can help them find the right combination of clothing and gear.
Definitely a good read for law enforcement and tactical personnel. A supplement to the article details a lot of the effects of cold weather on the human body.
