Written By: Graham Abram (me)
Start Date: 4-18-07
Date Last Updated: 11 October, 2007 15:10;29





Introduction:
We all have heard lectures, speeches, and even seen demonstrations regarding safety during big operations, and airsoft games in general. However some new players to airsoft, and some veterans as I have found, lack in taking such safety precautions seriously. Of course we all wear goggles, but this is not the only aspect, nor is it the most important aspect of safety. Safety is everything, and contrary to what most believe, it is not just protecting yourself, it is protecting others, and being sure they are acting in a safe and responsible way. Just because you may not be the leader of a team, or the leader of a big operation, does not mean you can't speak to another player about they're safety, or behavior. When you see another player acting in a dangerous, stupid or irresponsible way, take the initiative! Speak to that player; address such safety concerns with the operation leader, or the player’s team leader. I am not saying go tell someone else that he did something wrong, just let others know that this particular situation must be heard. So if you see a player doing something very dangerous, or irresponsible, report the incident as a safety concern, not as a means of getting another player in trouble. If you notice a player doing something minor on the other hand, simply address it with him/her. It is your duty as a human being and as a fellow airsoft player to watch out for others.

Hydration:
I truly do believe that the most important aspect of safety is water, without it, life on this planet would likely not exist. Every player regardless of sex, age or experience absolutely MUST carry water at all times during an airsoft game. Weather it be in a canteen, hydration pack, water bottle or a ton of small plastic bags filled with water, you must always carry water. Yes, some may argue that they never drink during games; but what if it gets really hot? What if you get a bad taste in your mouth? And most importantly, what if another player has heat exhaustion and all near by player are out of water, as is the victim, and only you have your supposedly useless water supply on your back? I could not possibly stress this enough, even if you are playing airsoft in the snow. Of course you are going to instantly think that you can just eat the snow. However, this in fact has serious disadvantages, the snow is on the ground, and on the ground lays bacteria, and bad stuff you don't want to ingest. Even on the highest untouched mountain top, these germs may still reside. Apart from germs, ingesting snow in a cold climate itself is a bad idea, as you know, snow is clod, very cold, so if you ingest it, that cold has a straight shot into the core of your body, thus reducing your core temperature, witch can lead to hypothermia, or even death. I doubt a small handful of snow will do so much as to cause hypothermia, but large amounts can, have and will. Most of us play largely during the summer months of the year, thus it is usually hot, and thus carrying water on your person is a must. Even if you don't mind the heat, you must always carry water. Carrying water has its advantages other than hydration; perhaps you got your hand or face dirty with an uncomfortable substance, what better than some simple water and a camouflage sleeve. The most advantageous benefit of water are the medical benefits; cleaning wounds when there is nothing better nearby, and of course curing dehydration, and preventing it as well. One more point I must include is for those who lead big operations, and those who simply lead medium sized ones; for you, as the leaders, and people responsible for all other players, must be sure that some type of large source of water (not a river, ditch or stream) is provided at your games. This is so the players can refill the water supplies, or just grab a bit to drink during intermission cause they don't want to drain they're water supply while not in game. A good idea for a large water source would be a couple liquid coolers with the small valve at the bottom, or if you are in a tight situation, a clean, nice looking hose.

Well now you might ask the question of, "What is best for me to carry water in?". Since we are airsofters, we cannot carry a large plastic container, or bring a water fountain along, thus we must adapt to our situation. The device for carrying water I most recommend is a hydration pack. Hydrations packs can be found anywhere from Cabelas to Wal Mart. A 2-liter hydration pack is ideal for a 1 day game, these packs range anywhere from 50 dollars for ones with pockets and cargo areas, to 25 dollars for ones without any cargo areas. Hydration packs most commonly come in the form of a small back pack, with a plastic bladder (the thing that holds the water) inside. This bladder is easily refillable, and a simple hose will run from the bladder to one of the shoulder straps for you to drink out of. Hydration packs also come in MOLLE form for those MOLLE lovers among us. Most of the time, you must buy the MOLLE pack and bladder separately, however I have come across a few witch include both items. The second best form for carrying water is probably the most well known, a canteen on a belt. In my early days as an airsoft player, I would use a canteen. Most of the time canteens are plastic, and holder 1-2 liters of water. If possible, I recommend a metal canteen, witch can be found at any military surplus store; if you do buy a canteen from a surplus store, be sure to wash it thoroughly! If you are to get a canteen, you should probably invest in a cloth canteen cover, and belt witch can be connecting to the canteen cover. Just remember, no matter what form you carry it in, a supply of water is more important than most realize.

Food:
Alright, food! Let's go get fat! Not so fast though, we need to remember a couple things. You need to remember, before you even get you gear together, you need to eat a nice, healthy meal. I mean healthy as in healthy, not just the yummiest food around. Cereal with milk is great (no milk for you snipers out their, rumor has it that it improves your aim), you probably also want to eat some fruit and vegetables, that’s right, you gotta do that for airsoft too! Just make sure you don't eat anything sugary. Now, for when you are in the field, most likely you won't be in a game that will last long enough for you to need food in the field, however for bigger, longer operations, food is absolutely necessary. When you are going to be in a game that does not supply food, that lasts longer than one day, you will need to bring some food. I recommend MRE's, the military surplus ones, not the civilian ones because those are... icky, for a lack of a better term. MRE simply stand for "Made Ready to Eat" or "Meal Ready to Eat". I always prefer MRE's because of the amount of food they carry, and their relatively small size; ok they are about the size of your 10,000 round bucket of BB's, but they are surprisingly easy to carry. In a military MRE you will find: a main food item, candies, treat foods, crackers, Tabasco sauce, matches, moist towlettes, towlet paper or tissue (nose or butt, whichever you prefer), apple cider mix, a heating packet for your food, and some other various things. To use the heating packet, you will need water, about a cup, yet another reason to carry water. Be sure you read the directions for using the heater, and place it on a rock, or a living tree, thus to prevent fire, or melt of whatever lies below the heater, don't touch it either, unless you like being unable to pull your trigger. Food is generally up to you, bring what you want, as long as it is healthy, and don't bring anything that gets goopy, or can get squished.

Eye Protection:
Now I must address the all powerful issue of goggles. We all know we have to wear to play airsoft, we all know they must be strong enough to withstand severe impact, and high velocity impact, and we all know the mesh goggles suck, because BB's either break on impact and continue through the holes in the mesh to your eyes, or just break through the mesh with ease. And we all know to wear goggles, not safety glasses because BB's can move around the lens. Paintball goggles work great. However, all that stuff is not what this is about; I am going to raise a less heard issue. Taking off your goggles during play. Taking off your goggles during play is a stupid thing to do, however, I know, sometimes it just has to be done. Thus, I urge you to cover your eyes with your arm, or even a tree or log, just remove all direct routes to your eyes. To prevent sweat from dripping into your goggles and eyes, simply wear a bandana like they wear in basketball on your forehead. If your problem is fogging, I’ll let you in on a secret; rub some shaving cream with a soft rag into your lens on both sides, it will work for about one or two games; and yes, it does work, however only those who actually are reading this article get to know that. Regular hand soap also works in defogging for the day, the night before a game, put some liquid hand soap on a tissue or something and rub it around the inside and outside of your mask. Get another tissue, slightly wet, and clean it. If you see someone without goggles during play, tell them their mistake, and report it the game leader.

BB'd and FPS:
We all like to be sure we hit someone, and be sure that the player hit knows he or she is hit, but you must use some caution. If a player puts up one or both arms, he/she is signaling that they are out; if they give you a signal specific to that game signifying that they are out, they are out, in all of these cases, stop firing immediately! Also, if a player seems to be reacting as if they are in pain because of a wound caused by a BB, stop firing and give them help if you think necessary. Severe wounds such as hits to the eyes or teeth should result in you calling for help and stopping the game to get the wounded player to the hospital. Nobody likes to get hit repeatedly after they call themselves out, so don't fire on them as if they were soda cans.

FPS. We all know about it, it is one of the most important concerns when buying a new replica. Feet Per Second, this indicates the muzzle velocity of an airsoft replica. Feet per second meaning how many feet a BB will travel in one second at the muzzle velocity. Muzzle velocity is the speed of a BB at the moment it exits the muzzle of an airsoft replica. A muzzle is simply the end of the exposed barrel. That should clarify quite well. FPS in a replica is a very important factor, it determines much of the range, and accuracy of our replicas, however too many FPS in a replica can be dangerous. 400FPS is commonly the limit for most big operations, however on occasion 500FPS can be accepted. When firing a replica with such high FPS, you should keep the following in mind: be sure you are at a safe distance from your target (a human target) as to not inflict injury or severe pain, for 400FPS, about 10-15 feet is the closest you should be. For velocities 450FPS or higher, more than 20 feet should be between you and your target (snipers keep that in mind). Also, don't aim for the face unless absolutely necessary; in fact, in some games head shots are not allowed. Be sure to adhere strictly to the rules and standards set forth by the game leader, or owner of the property in which you are playing.

Natural Obstacles and Hazards:
On to the subject of natural obstacles and hazards. This is pretty self explanatory; however I still must fill you in on everything I know. First off I will address trees. We all like them, they provide cover, shelter, and stationary objects to mount stuff; we can also climb them and wait in ambush for our enemy. All the benefits and they seem so simple and harmless standing tall and motionless. However there are many things most don't take into account. Mostly, widow makers, these have the name for a reason, many people are killed every year from falling branches (widow makers) that some from up high above our reach. These can fall at any time, however are most dangerous during windy conditions, even mild winds, because you must remember it is always windier up high where these widow makers leark. When these branches fall, even ones small enough to play catch with your dog, can cause injury, larger ones that are still small enough to easily pick up, can kill you. It would be quite annoying to have look up every couple seconds while in combat, so the only advice I can give you is just be cautious, and know that the danger is there in windy conditions. Another danger that trees pose is falling over, these tall plants can get old or diseased and their roots will fail to support them, and the next thing you know, with a little gust of wind, they come crashing down. This only usually happens during higher wind speeds, and is pretty easy to avoid. If you hear severe cracking, go the other way, and be cautious of that tree. If there are many trees falling in the game area, I would recommend the game be stopped, and postponed for a later date. If you see a tree falling in relatively your direction, wait until you know absolutely certain where it will fall, and run of course! Also, if you see another player in the path of a falling tree, warn them, and I mean it, use your diaphragm!! All in all, if you know of these dangers trees pose, you'll be on a roll.

The next natural obstacle I will mention is water, though it can save your life, it can also be a pest. Most of all, as all soldiers are taught in the military, keep your feet dry. Water proof boots are recommended for airsoft, I don't mean rubber boots, just some nice water resistant ones. When your feet get wet, the water seeps into your skin, and softens it by an extreme amount, this allows the skin to peel of and scratch easier, and this allows areas for infection to take place. Long periods with wet feet and no air circulation can cause foot rot. So if you happen to find yourself in a multiple day airsoft game, when you take rests, take off your boots and socks! A way of delaying foot rot is not wearing socks, this method was used by our soldiers in Vietnam, and Korea, and in WWII, you get the point. Also, wet feet can actually cause your core body temperature to decrease, and decreases core body temperature is what leads to hypothermia. Because of these health risks, it is very important to dry wet feet, and avoid getting your feet wet in the first place. Another risk caused by water applies to the AEG and gas powered replica users among us. I am sure you well know that it is never a good idea to get your replica yet, this is because it can short out AEG, and simply cause gas replicas to malfunction. Water coming into contact with your replica can be caused by simple puddles of water touching your replica when you are prone, rain falling into open areas on your replica, or even severe humidity. Everyone knows how to avoid getting their replica wet in bodies of water, so I will only say, look where you will land before you leap to a prone position, and don't stomp in water causing it to fly upwards into your replica. Know to prevent damage from rain; you can close all possible open areas on your replica with some tape or other item that won't effect the operation of your replica. Covering open areas on your replica will only prevent damage from minor rain, not severe rain; pretty much there is nothing you can do to prevent water from getting into your gun during severe rain. In severely humid areas, which aren't very common, the moisture in the air can get into your replica and through precipitation can form into liquid water, and this will likely damage your replica. The last hazard of water I will mention is keeping dry, if you are wet, and your clothes are wet, you are surrounded by water, and water can decrease your body's temperature more than 3 times faster than air. So you must always remember that getting your body wet isn’t always worth that one kill. Getting wet is a horrible thing in cold weather because the water on you won't warm up, thus dramatically and quickly reducing your core body temperature. If your do happen to get wet, remember that cotton (denim) will increase the waters effect, thus removing any cotton is a good idea of possible. Another hazard of moisture is sweating, if you are in a very cold climate, you are probably wearing more layers than usual, this is not always a good thing; because when playing airsoft, you are working, and your are working hard, thus your sweat more than usual, and because your are wearing more clothes, you sweat more. The reason sweating is so bad in cold weather is because it basically acts as water does. Sweat only ever cools your down, it doesn't heat you up, thus sweat on your body will lower your temperature, and as I have said a million times, this can lead to hypothermia.

A small and rarely thought of danger are pits, pits meaning small, out of place holes in the ground. These pits are dangerous for only one reason, if you are walking or running and you step into one without knowing it; there is a serious chance of you breaking either your leg or your ankle. It is simple to avoid this, just watch your step, and know where your going at all times.

Cliffs are dangerous for obvious reasons, falling! Everybody know to stay clear of cliffs edges, but what most don't realize is that this standard isn't only used to prevent you from loosing your balance or some freak occurrence, it is to prevent your from step on a weak cliff edge that may give way, and even up 10 feet away from a cliffs edge, there may be fragile ground that can give way at any time. So be sure that you stay as far away from cliff edges as possible at all times.

The last natural hazards I will speak of are animals, these are very abundant pretty much everywhere we play, thus, we must be very cautious of them. First I will say that the shooting of any animal regardless of the situation for fun, entertainment or any other irresponsible purpose is strictly forbidden on this website. Mostly, the sound of yelling and AEG will scare off most animals, even big cats and bears, however we still must be cautious and realize that we are in their territory, not ours. Deer will never give you a problem for the most part, if they see, hear or smell you they will likely run away. Bid cats are skittish, and shy; so if you are making a noise such as firing your replica, they will likely go away. However if you happen across some kittens (not house cat kittens) the mother WILL be near by, and if she sees you, guess what's for dinner? You cannot out run a big cat, cannot out climb a big cat, you can only intimidate, jump in deep or moving water, and fight. So pretty much I bet you'd rather just stay away. If you do encounter some kittens, just quietly go back wear you came from, and let everyone possible know of the danger there. If you encounter a big cat itself, your best bet is to yell in a loud commanding voice, flail your arms in the air, and make short but fast movements in its direction. Everything is pretty much the same with bears; and moose, yes moose are among the most dangerous animals in areas where they live. This is because during mating season, they get grumpy and charge, and you don't want those "antlers" to get rammed into your body. Mostly, moose reside in swampy woodland areas as far as I know, and you'll have to look up weather they live in your area or not. Spiders, most of us are freaked out by them, some of us aren't, it doesn’t matter, because some spiders can do serious damage to a human when they bite you, and it is very hard to identify which ones can, so it is a good idea to keep your fingers out of small dark places, and don't muck with them. Ants live in massive numbers, very few species in the US and Europe can do much to a person other than irritate them, it is a good idea just to stay away so you can keep those ants out of your pants. Bees, if you are allergic to bees you probably know it, however sometimes you don't, so if you are going to play in a big operation in an area with a lot of bees, I would recommend asking your doctor for a test to determine weather you are allergic to bees or not. If you are allergic to bees, there is a great likeliness that you can be stung during an airsoft game, thus I urge you to invest in an epi-pen to carry with you during big airsoft games.

Exesive Armor or Gear:
A short point I have about your gear regards protection. I recommend that you not wear too much body protection because this prevents you from being able to feel BB's hit you and may result in an unfair game. Mild protection for your eyes and face is great, but try not to wear too much clothing and gear. Be sure to wear the best eye protection possible though.

Fighting:
Fighting over a hit happens, we all know it does, and it is not a fun thing to have during a game, because it is just a game. Saying that you just didn't feel a hit doesn't mean anything, even if you didn't feel it, you probably would have heard it, and if there was absolutely no indication whatsoever that you were hit, JUST TRUST THE OTHER PLAYERS WORD, and do your small part to try to make airsoft an honest sport! If you do encounter a hostile player who refuses to admit he was hit, do as much as possible to prevent a physical fight, and propose that you both call yourselves out as a compromise, this tactic is the most advisable for that situation.

Real Weapons:
These are not really required on and airsoft field, so it is recommended that you not bring them, just for safety purposes. Real weapons may be confused for fake ones, and in the case of firearms, this can lead to someone dead, and someone in prison; and two families heartbroken. If you do carry something such as a knife, keep it stowed away somewhere such as inside your vest, in your boot (if you have a proper holster) or deep inside an admin pouch; this will make it less likely for the knife to be taken, or being lost. I do not think it wise to carry a large combat knife on the exterior of your gear, though it may not seem like it, a larger knife (especially with soft sheaths cans till do serious bodily damage when falling.

Grenades:
They are a great thing to have in a tight situation during airsoft games, weather it be a smoke grenade or a frag, you just can't beat them. Making them at home is highly unadvisable and even restricted in most big operations. Also, discussing using pyrotechnic methods for making them is not allowed at all on this website, and a very stupid thing to make them like that anyway. Always remember to use them safely, and always be sure everyone in the area has proper protection if a grenade is to be used. Also, for smoke grenades, using any type of firework is not permitted in most big operations and another stupid thing to do, on occasion you may come across on that is not a firework, however it is likely that it will catch surrounding brush or grass on fire so they are not recommended, the only ones to be used specify on the package that they can be used in brushy areas. Always use caution.

Home Made Replicas:
A short point about home made airsoft replicas; it is great if your have the knowledge and ability to make one yourself that works, and quite impressive, however please always remember to be sure they are safe, and no pyrotechnic method is used to fire the BB. This may result in the BB's igniting and burning other players, possibly severely. If you are to try to use a home made airsoft replica in a game, please ask the game leader for permission, and be sure it meats all standards for replicas at that particular game.

Home Done Modification:
Home done modifications are commonly done, however, if you are to use a replica that has been modified at home, please test fire it to be sure it shoots safely. Always be sure you know what you are doing before attempting modification. Warning: Modifications to any airsoft replica voids any and all warranties on that replica.

Reusing BB's:
Buying more and more airsoft BB's is such a pain, so why not just use ones that you have already used? Nothing wrong with that right? Wrong! Used airsoft BB's have small dents and scratches on them, and unwashed ones have dirt and grime, all that can jam or even ruin your replica, no matter how much you wash those BB's, they will never be fit to fire out of any AEG or other quality replica. Also be sure when buying BB's, if you're buying for a high quality replica or any AEG, that they are at least .20 grams and are actually high quality BB's, Just because it says they are high quality, doesn't mean they are, read they reviews by actual airsoft players.

Location:
Where to play, this is a big, possibly one of the biggest issues in airsoft. Where you play is always the first concern you must have when planning a game. Always remember, if someone driving or walking by on a public road or path can see you, you’re in the wrong place to play. If you are within eyes sight of houses of people who don't own the property you are playing on, you are playing in the wrong place. So be sure nobody other than who is playing and who has agreed with you playing there can see you during play. Always remember, just because you’re out of sight, doesn’t mean you’re out of trouble. You always must have direct permission from the property owner to play on the land which you are playing. If you are confronted by a random civilian, be polite, talk to them, and let them know what is going on. Be sure you set down your replica your remove your hands from it; guns, even fake ones with orange tips are very scary to most people now days. If you are confronted by the police, please do as described in this article written by me: Police Confrontation

Radios:
Radios are an important factor during airsoft games, and can sometimes help in emergency situations. If there is an emergency, and someone is injured, unconscious etc. you should call all players possible on your radios and tell them to stop the game so help can be provided to the victim. Also, I highly recommend the if your are going to be leading a big operation that you set up a specific emergency channel, so that if there is an emergency, any player can then call the leader of the operation and report the emergency and request that the game be stopped. Also, use radios with caution, if someone not part of your airsoft game comes on the radio and says you are not authorized to use that channel, stop using that channel cause it is likely that it is a GRMS channel, if you would like to know more about this, please contact me via a PM or email. The use of HAM radios by people no authorized to use them or supervised by someone who is, is strictly forbidden by federal law.


Heat Injury First-Aid
How to Recognize and Treat Shock


Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and please share what you have learned with others to improve the all around safety of airsoft.

Cheers, Graham.

This post has been edited by Graham Abram: Oct 11 2007, 05:10 PM

Article updated with a link to another Library article about heat injuries. I recommend you read the article concerning heat injuries, regardless of who you are, or how fit you are heat injuries can and will happen to you if not properly avoided.

7-16-07


A small bit regarding another method to prevent fog on your eye protection provided by Hydralover.

7-17-07


A link added regarding the recognition and treatment of shock, By Doc.

7-17-07

This post has been edited by Graham Abram: Jul 18 2007, 12:25 AM

Tell me if you want my comment delted or not but all I have to say is.

Brilliant.

Updated: 11 October, 2007

-Beutification
-Grammer
-Addition to the "Real Weapons" section.

I heard that, for anyone who has an unsteady hand from nerves, bananas help decrease that, it works for me, I don't know if anyone else has tested it, but it might be helpful for a sniper or something : )