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County/Sheriff's Office to Open New Indoor Gun Range
Nov 23, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jim Lavender, Lee County Public Works, 479-8301 COUNTY/SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO OPEN NEW INDOOR GUN RANGE FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 23, 2005) - The Board of County Commissioners, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and Lee County Mosquito Control District will hold a ribbon cutting Dec. 3 to officially open the Lee County Gun Range Operated by the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. at the gun range, located at Lee County Mosquito Control District Headquarters, 15191 Homestead Road in Lehigh Acres. Commissioner John Albion will serve as master of ceremonies. He will be joined by other commissioners, Sheriff's officials, and representatives of the Mosquito Control District. IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION Because of the number of people expected, the county is asking everyone to park at Mosquito Control and not at the gun range, which is within walking distance (see attached map). BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON LEE COUNTY GUN RANGE Teamwork-work done by a number of parties each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole..that textbook definition perfectly describes this project. Specifically, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, the Sheriff's Office and the Lee County Mosquito Control District pooled their resources and worked together cooperatively and the result is a new family for both law enforcement agencies and the general public. The facility culminates 10 years of planning between Lee County Board of County Commissioners and the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Lee County Mosquito Control District provided further assistance by generously donating property for the project at Buckingham Air Field. The Sheriff's Office will operate the county owned facility. What is the Lee County Gun Range? The Lee County Gun Range is a comprehensive indoor training facility whose primary mission is devoted to law enforcement firearms training. The facility includes two separate gun ranges, a 14-point (lane) 25-meter range, and a 22-point 50-meter range. In addition to these two shooting ranges, the facility houses the Lee County Sheriff's Office Training Unit and multiple classrooms. The facility is also designed for use as a hurricane command center and the ranges double as hurricane shelters for Lee County Mosquito Control and Sheriff's Office aircraft. Why was the Lee County Gun Range needed? The Lee County Gun Range was constructed to provide critically needed firearms training facilities for the law enforcement community. Providing a facility in Lee County will improve training opportunities and eliminate the need for law enforcement personnel to travel out-of-County to access training facilities. Who was involved in building the Lee County Gun Range? The facility culminates 10 years of cooperative planning between Lee County government, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the Lee County Mosquito Control District. Lee County government funded construction of the facility with ad-valorem tax dollars. The Lee County Mosquito Control District generously provided land for the project through a long-term, no-cost lease. The Lee County Sheriff's Office will staff and manage the County-owned and County-maintained facility. How is the Lee County Gun Range different from other indoor gun ranges? The Lee County Gun Range is very different from other indoor gun ranges. The entire facility was designed for both public and law-enforcement use, and for the exclusive use of non-toxic ammunition. The use of non-toxic ammunition assures all visitors will enjoy an environmentally safe shooting location. The Lee County Gun Range also employs a state-of-the-art computerized program that integrates and controls all targetry and lighting systems. How much did it cost to build the Lee County Gun Range? Total construction costs were $7.7 million for the 51,000 square foot facility. The exclusive use of non-toxic ammunition reduced initial construction costs by $400,000 and reduced annual operating costs by more than $200,000. Who can use the Lee County Gun Range? The Lee County Gun Range was designed for both public enjoyment and law enforcement training. Both the public and law enforcement personnel will share use of the 25-meter range that is limited to handgun (pistol) use only. The public must first pass a criminal background check and complete a free safety/education class to be offered at the facility. The 50-meter gun range is reserved for law enforcement tactical training. All weapons must be unloaded and displayed upon arrival. How can I sign up for the safety/education class? Classes are offered by appointment. Call 690-3999 to sign up for the next scheduled class. Depending on the public demand, there may be a waiting list to attend your class. If I hold a Concealed Weapons Permit, will I still be required to take the safety/education class? Yes. All members of the public wishing to use the range will be required to take the free safety/education class. What will be the hours of operation for the general public? The public range will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Public range hours of operation are subject to change without notice. Will I be able to bring my own ammunition? No. The Lee County Gun Range is designed for the exclusive use of special non-toxic ammunition. All ammunition must be purchased at the Lee County Gun Range to ensure that no conventional ammunition is used at the facility. Please do not bring any personal ammunition to the range. What is non-toxic ammunition? Non-toxic ammunition is specially manufactured to eliminate lead from the projectile and primer. Non-toxic ammunition also reduces or eliminates other heavy metals and chemicals such as mercury, barium and antimony. The accuracy and reliability of non-toxic ammunition is equal to that of conventional ammunition. Non-toxic ammunition can be just as deadly as conventional ammunition and so it should be handled and used accordingly. Why use only non-toxic ammunition? The use of only non-toxic ammunition improves the opportunities for tactical training by eliminating physical contact with lead and other toxic chemicals. Other benefits include reducing occupational hazards to range employees and eliminating the environmental hazards associated with the use of conventional lead ammunition. What types of non-toxic ammunition will be available for use? The Lee County Gun Range will stock the widest range of non-toxic handgun ammunition available for public purchase. Currently, the non-toxic ammunition industry offers only center-fire type ammunition in .357 cal., .380 cal., 9 mm., 40 cal., and 45 cal. As other types of non-toxic handgun ammunition (including rim fire types) become available, these will also be offered for public use. What will it cost for me to use the range? The Lee County Gun Range will charge for range time, as well as for targets and ammunition. Selected shooting accessories and range souvenirs will also be available for purchase. The costs for range time, targets, accessories and souvenirs will be established prior to the public opening date. What safety features have been incorporated into the Lee County Gun Range? The entire range interior is designed to prevent any stray bullet from escaping. Seven-inch thick concrete walls are lined with ballistic steel. Range entrances are offset to ensure stray bullets are contained. All doors leaving the range are bullet resistant or otherwise protected to prevent projectiles from escaping the range area. The public viewing area at the lobby is protected by five-layer ballistic glass more than two inches thick. A granulated rubber bullet trap safely captures projectiles without ricochet. Laminar airflow moves combustion air away from shooters at a rate of 75 feet per minute. A High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration system removes airborne particulates associated with non-toxic ammunition. In addition, the sophisticated air-conditioning system monitors carbon monoxide levels to assure that safe air quality is maintained at all times. |