Last week was exceptional! I flew to Arizona to attend the first inaugural F.I.R.E. women’s training event put on by SecureIt. Ten influential women were invited to take a defensive pistol course at the top range in the nation – Gunsite Academy. A big thank you to SecureIt for including me in this amazing event and sharing your passion for strategic gun storage!

Highlights

I got to know some great ladies, learned the best locations in a house to store my firearm(s), tested some amazing gear at the range, and even shot a grenade launcher! How fun is that?!

SecureIt Story

Firearms WHERE and WHEN You NEED Them!

It may come as a surprise, but Tom Kubinec, the CEO of SecureIt, actually began his career by storing and securing laptops. However, in 2001, when the Department of Defense approached him to redesign their disorganized weapon racks, Tom was up for the challenge. He created a revolutionary storage technology that transformed military armories by improving organization and efficiency.

Sullivan Owens from Premier Body Armor and Jason Kostal from Legacy Arms International posing in front of a SecureIt safe.

Following his success with US Armories, Tom recognized a significant gap in the consumer market. As firearms continued to evolve, traditional gun safes were falling behind. He identified the need for an innovative product that combined gun storage, security, and home defense principles to meet the evolving needs of consumers.

From the SecureIt website - “At SecureIt, we believe every gun should be safely and securely stored. That’s why we’ve dedicated more than two decades to the firearms industry, building customizable gun storage solutions that are found in homes, law enforcement and military armories throughout the world.”

What is F.I.R.E. about?

Natalie and Karen Hunter at Gunsite Academy

Fierce, Instinctive, Revolutionary & Empowered.

To explain the event, I must tell you about my friend, Karen Hunter. When SecureIt asked Karen to create a training class, they gave her full freedom and she ran with it!

Karen shared on Instagram that she wanted “more than a training class. I wanted to create something revolutionary, bringing together industry leaders, resulting in collaborations and training that would reach and resonate with the people this industry is really for – the everyday gun owner.”

Karen’s vision was to bring together not “influencers”, but women of influence. We all have unique journeys and varying levels of firearm training, but the message is clear: if we can do it, so can you.

Allow me to introduce you to the ladies.

Attendees:

Amy Robbins @theamyrobbins Owner of concealed carry activewear company, @alexoathletica.

Elisabeth Bienas @casualandtactical Writer and women’s concealed carry educator.

Emily Sereno @Emsereno Senior Brand Manager @SecureIt and newfound shooter!

Emily Valentine @stylemetactical Owner and writer of concealed carry lifestyle blog, Style Me Tactical.

Janel Lamb @missus.janel.lamb Author, speaker, and wife of Sherrif Mark Lamb /teammate behind the scenes of law enforcement and politics.

Karen Hunter @Klhunter National magazine contributor, firearms instructor, and Business Development Manager for @SecureIt.

Kerry Sloan @wethefemale_official Writer, speaker, and defensive mindset/certified firearms instructor. Runs a nonprofit that helps women who have experienced domestic abuse.

KJ Jones @thunderhorseblades Knife designer, knife throwing instructor, hunting dog trainer and horse trainer.

Sullivan Owens @Sullivanowens9 Social marketer at @premierbodyarmor and hilarious person to follow @pattyshootz

And of course, me! Natalie @elegantandarmed Owner and writer of concealed carry lifestyle blog, Elegant & Armed.

Special shout out to Tom (@Tom_secureit, CEO of SecureIt) for putting on this event and Chris (@reallychrisp Chief Marketing Officer at SecureIt) who participated in the class and was the best chauffer we could ask for!

Main Take-A-Ways

I need to reconsider how and where I store my firearms.

Decentralized storage: is the practice of dispersing your gun collection throughout the house in specially designed safes so you have a better advantage to protect yourself and your family.

SecureIt came up with this principle while working with the State Department and the Marine Corps to create a solution for US embassies. The same principle can apply to your home – you want discreet, secure storage, yet fast access anywhere in the house.

FBI crime data suggests criminals who break into homes target the master bath, master bedroom, home office, and dining room.

Since the master bedroom is the least secure room in the home, it makes sense to have one or two firearms hidden for self-protection. The laundry room on the other hand is perfect for storing a larger collection because most thieves ignore this room.

The kitchen, another low-targeted room, is ideal for a small fast-access safe in a cabinet or a tall Fast Box in the kitchen pantry. And a front closet safe gives you fast access to a gun near the door.

Elisabeth and I were paired together for a **Dozier Drill** competition.

A renewed motivation for training.

Firearm skills are perishable, which means you must put in the time to keep them sharp, but with so many competing priorities in life, it’s sometimes hard to get to the range. I have to say, this course has rekindled the joy of training and provided me with valuable drills to practice at my local range.

I’m grateful for the experience at Gunsite. Whether you're a seasoned shooter or just starting out, the expert instructors at Gunsite will push you to your limits and help you develop the confidence and competence needed to protect yourself and your loved ones.

My roomate Janel Lamb and I sporting some of the sponsored gear: Mossberg MC2-SC, Greyman Tactical backpacks, Nexbelt, Crossbreed Holster and Magazine carrier (right), Desantis holster (left), Alexo Athletica Leggings, SecureIt Sweatshirts.

What was different about this event?

Collaboration

Testing products is something I'm pretty familiar with, but getting to try it while receiving instruction was even better! Having the instructors on hand to offer suggestions when we ran into any trouble was super helpful. Plus, it was nice watching how the gear worked for other women because let's face it - we're all unique in our own way and what works for one gal might not be the right fit for another.

Kerry Sloan, Natalie, Elilzabeth Bienas, Emily Valentine

Community

When attending a training to improve your skills, it's easy to become focused solely on your own progress. As the saying goes, "stay in your lane." However, this group was incredibly supportive and encouraging.

Although I did enjoy some friendly competition, I really want the next girl to be able to protect herself to the best of her ability. So what struck me most about this group was their willingness to lift each other up and encourage one another.

We all came into the training with different backgrounds and levels of experience, but at the end of the day, what mattered most was that we all walked away having learned something new. It was inspiring to see this group of women come together with a shared goal of improving their skills and ensuring that they can protect themselves and others.

Classroom instruction at Gunsite Academy

How can you get involved?

Join this community of empowered women and start your journey towards becoming a confident and skilled defender today! Be sure to check out their social media pages to see what other attendees thought of the event and sponsored products.

You can also get involved by scheduling a class at your local range! Make it fun by inviting someone new because, after all, training is much more fun with a friend!

SecureIt F.I.R.E. Event - Women’s Defensive Pistol Training