Nicholas Eckert
Instructor # 2340226 | Safety Reloaded Training and Consulting, LLC
Certified with the USCCA since 12/17/2020
Certification Renewal Date 12/15/2026
USCCA Certifications
- Concealed Carry & Home Defense
- Countering the Mass Shooter
- Emergency & First Aid
- Women's Handgun & Self-Defense
- Children's Firearms & Safety Fundamentals
My Biography
Safety Reloaded specializes in helping new and inexperienced shooters build safe, practical handgun skills in a comfortable and approachable training environment. Whether you're picking up a handgun for the first time, considering concealed carry, or simply want to feel more confident with the firearm you already own, our classes are designed to meet you where you are.
With nearly 20 years of training and education experience, Safety Reloaded offers instruction in handguns, Tasers, church security, incident response, and first aid, backed by instructor certifications from USCCA, NRA, DOD, and the American Red Cross.
Current Classes Available
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Department of Defense, FEMA, and First Care Providers hands on, 2-hour course designed to give participants hands on experience in trauma wound care, including use of tourniquets, chest seals, and more. This is an active participation class.
This class will specifically go over cardiac emergencies and traumatic bleeding. Specifically we will perform CPR, learn how to use an AED, chest seals, tourniquets, and would packing.
Congregation Safety Team Workshop is a practical, church-focused training designed to help safety volunteers, ministry leaders, and church staff improve awareness, communication, and emergency preparedness within their church.
This workshop focuses on realistic planning, guided discussions, tabletop exercises, and facility walkthrough concepts that help churches identify vulnerabilities, strengthen team coordination, and better prepare for emergencies in a calm and organized way.
If an emergency occurs at your church, preparation matters. A practiced emergency plan, strong communication, trained volunteers, and thoughtful security measures can all play an important role in protecting your congregation and ministry.
Participants will gain practical insight into how churches can improve readiness, strengthen safety culture, and begin developing effective response strategies appropriate for their facility and team.
This class is designed to familiarize you with your taser Pulse, Bolt2, C2, Strikelight2, and More. We will go over nomenclature, features and functionality, maintenance, and a live fire training with your device.
30 Minutes of time on our Smokeless Range. Rental time includes two CO2 cartridges for our recoil enabled training guns. Range time includes 10 interactive marksmanship and recreational games to increase speed, accuracy, and discretionary shooting.
-Recognize the unique aspects of your job that put you at risk of a violent encounter. -Learn to avoid violent encounters by developing an acute awareness of your surroundings. -Differentiate between “looking” and “seeing,” and understand how to detect threat indicators early. -Recognize the physical and psychological effects you might experience during a dynamic critical incident. -Learn how to employ various defensive strategies to mitigate an unwanted encounter before it escalates. -Recognize the defensive options — both armed and unarmed — you can use to help keep you safe. -Describe how to treat various traumatic and medical emergencies.
This course includes a set of cartridges for use during the class. This class is designed to familiarize you with your taser Pulse, Bolt2, C2, Strikelight2, and More. We will go over nomenclature, features and functionality, maintenance, and a live fire training with your device.
For Security professionals using TASER devices, learn the basic operation, training and tips to safely protect.
This class is designed to familiarize you with your taser Pulse, Bolt2, C2, Strikelight2, and More. We will go over nomenclature, features and functionality, maintenance, and a live fire training with your device.
Close Quarter Tactics - Level One reviews the basics of how evaluate cover/concealment, entry methods, room clearing for individuals, and other solo techniques.
Close Quarter Tactics - Level Two will refine the understand from Level One and physically put them to practice. Student will work through clearing hallways and rooms as single individuals with simulated firearms.
This course includes a set of cartridges for use during the class. This class is designed to familiarize you with your taser Pulse, Bolt2, C2, Strikelight2, and More. We will go over nomenclature, features and functionality, maintenance, and a live fire training with your device.
Situational Awareness: Mastering Your Environment with Video Scenarios
Unlock the power of keen observation and swift decision-making with our Situational Awareness class, designed to enhance your safety and confidence in any environment. This two-hour session is part of our comprehensive Self-Defense Basics Academy, focusing on the vital skill of understanding and anticipating potential threats before they arise.
Class Highlights:
- Interactive Video Scenarios: Engage with video simulations that depict various real-life situations. Analyze and discuss these scenarios in group settings to enhance your perceptual skills and learn to identify subtle cues that could indicate danger.
- Expert Guidance: Our instructors, with extensive experience in personal safety and risk assessment, provide personalized feedback and tips on improving your observational skills. Who Should Attend: This class is ideal for anyone looking to improve their ability to stay safe in everyday life, travelers, night-shift workers, and those interested in personal security.
No prior experience is necessary. Join us to develop a sharper, more aware mindset that empowers you to navigate the complexities of any environment safely.
Firearms Basics: Introduction to Shooting with Electronic Range Experience
Embark on your journey to firearm proficiency with our Firearms Basics class, an essential part of our Self-Defense Basics Academy. This two-hour session is perfect for beginners and provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of firearm handling and safety, culminating in a hands-on experience at our state-of-the-art electronic range.
Class Highlights:
- Firearm Safety Training: Learn the critical rules of safe firearm handling and operation. Our expert instructors will guide you through the principles of gun safety to ensure you can handle firearms responsibly.
- Introduction to Firearms: Understand the different types of firearms, their parts, and their operation. This segment is designed for those with no prior experience, providing a solid foundation in firearm basics.
- Electronic Range Simulation: Apply what you've learned in a controlled and safe environment using our electronic shooting range. This technology allows for immediate feedback on your accuracy and technique without the use of live ammunition.
- Interactive Learning: Engage in interactive discussions and practical exercises that help solidify your understanding of firearms and improve your shooting skills.
Who Should Attend: This class is ideal for anyone new to firearms who wants to learn in a safe, supportive environment. Whether you're considering owning a firearm, wish to understand firearm safety, or simply want to try shooting as a recreational activity, this class is for you.
No prior experience or personal firearm is necessary. Come join us to gain confidence and knowledge in firearm handling in a fun and educational setting.
Non-Lethal Force Options: Alternatives for Personal Safety
Expand your self-defense toolkit with our Non-Lethal Force Options class, an integral part of our Self-Defense Basics Academy. This two-hour session focuses on various non-lethal methods of protection, providing practical alternatives to traditional firearms for those seeking less aggressive means of self-defense.
Class Highlights:
- Overview of Less Lethal Tools: Explore a range of less lethal devices such as pepper spray, stun guns, and TASERs. Understand how each tool works, its effectiveness, and legal considerations associated with its use.
- Hands-On Demonstrations: Experience live demonstrations with less lethal tools. Learn the correct operational techniques to ensure effectiveness and safety.
Who Should Attend: This class is suitable for anyone interested in enhancing their personal safety, especially those who prefer non-lethal self-defense options. It is ideal for individuals who work in security, those who frequent high-risk environments, or anyone looking to complement their self-defense capabilities.
No previous experience is required. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to confidently handle less lethal self-defense tools and make informed decisions under pressure.
3 Steps to Self-Defense Everyone Should Know
Join us for this essential two-hour class, offered completely free, designed to empower individuals of all backgrounds and skill levels with crucial self-defense knowledge. "3 Steps to Self-Defense Everyone Should Know" is tailored to provide practical, easy-to-understand techniques and strategies that can significantly enhance your personal safety and awareness.
Situational Awareness - Learn how to heighten your awareness of your surroundings. We'll teach you techniques to quickly assess environments and recognize potential threats before they escalate.
De-escalation Techniques - Gain skills in verbal and non-verbal communication that can help de-escalate potentially dangerous situations. Understand the importance of body language and tone of voice as tools for preventing conflict.
And More Each class is packed with practical advice and actionable tips.
Expert Instructors: Our trainers are experienced in various aspects of self-defense, providing you with insights and guidance drawn from real-world scenarios.
Interactive Learning: Participate in live demonstrations and practice sessions to solidify your understanding of each step.
Inclusive Environment: This class is designed for everyone, regardless of your experience level in self-defense. Whether you're just starting your journey or looking to refresh your skills, this class has valuable takeaways for all.
Who Should Attend: This free class is perfect for anyone looking to bolster their self-defense capabilities. It’s designed for those new to self-defense concepts as well as for experienced individuals who want to revisit and refine their techniques.
Join us for this invaluable opportunity to learn the fundamental steps of self-defense and ensure you're prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones in any situation.
Class will discuss all common forms of self-defense, including firearms, pepper sprays, tasers, and stun guns. We will deploy training pepper spray on training manikins. Training pepper spray will be provided.
This advanced low to no light defensive pistol course is tailored for intermediate shooters aged 21 and up, designed to enhance defensive skills and personal protection strategies in low-light conditions. Participants will gain critical expertise in flashlight techniques, one-handed shooting accuracy, and situational awareness, equipping them to navigate real-world threats that frequently occur in darkness. Through a structured blend of theoretical insights and hands-on drills, students will develop practical skills essential for confident, effective defense when visibility is limited. This course is ideal for responsible individuals serious about advancing their tactical readiness in low-light environments. Prior foundational training and firearm competence are required to maximize the benefit of this advanced-level training.
This class will specifically go over emergency illnesses, environmental issues, and triage.
The Everyday Defender Academy is a practical, certificate-based training experience designed for everyday people who want to be better prepared to protect themselves and their loved ones — without feeling overwhelmed.
This 10-hour academy is spread over several sessions and focuses on real-world safety strategies, not just theory or tactics. Whether you’re a new gun owner, considering self-defense options, or simply want to feel more in control in uncertain situations, this program delivers the skills and mindset you need.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
Situational Awareness & De-Escalation (4 hrs) Learn how to spot danger before it becomes a threat, and how to diffuse tension using proven verbal and behavioral strategies.
Home Defense & Legal Use of Force (4 hrs) Understand how to secure your home, respond with purpose, and navigate the legal realities of using force to defend yourself or others.
Firearm Familiarization & Safety (2 hrs + range time) A hands-on class designed for new and intermediate shooters to build safe, confident firearm handling — even if you don’t yet own a gun.
A judgment-free, confidence-building introduction to firearms.
Whether you’re brand new to firearms or looking to refresh your foundational skills, this 2-hour hands-on class is designed to help you feel safe, confident, and in control.
This course is a perfect first step — even if you’ve never picked up a gun before, aren’t sure what to buy, or just want to finally feel more comfortable with one you already own.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
The parts and purpose of a handgun (semi-auto & revolver)
Safe handling practices for home, range, and carry
How to load, unload, and check a firearm properly
Basic shooting posture and mechanics (stance, grip, sight picture)
How to ask better questions when shopping for or upgrading a firearm
Live fire time at the range to practice what you’ve learned (included)
Firearm rental available.
efore the Trigger Press is a refresher course designed for people who already carry and want to revisit the part of responsibility that matters most: decision-making before force is ever used.
Most permit classes focus on what is legally allowed and spend far less time on how real-world situations actually unfold. This class exists to close that gap. It’s not a beginner course, and it’s not a tactics or shooting class. It’s a structured opportunity to step back, slow down, and reassess how you think about awareness, avoidance, and judgment after you’ve been carrying for a while.
In this 90–120 minute session, we revisit situational awareness in a practical, non-paranoid way—how people miss cues, how normalcy bias shows up, and how decisions are often made minutes before anyone recognizes them as “critical.” We also refresh de-escalation concepts that are easy to forget once carrying becomes routine, focusing on distance, posture, communication, and disengagement as legitimate wins.
You’ll also review a clear, plain-language framework for use-of-force decision-making—what actually matters, what doesn’t, and where people often misjudge risk when stress and assumptions take over. The goal isn’t to give you new rules, but to help you pressure-test the ones you think you remember.
This class is for experienced carriers who want a check-in with their judgment—a chance to reduce second-guessing later by thinking more deliberately now. It’s the first step in the Carrying After the Permit series, and it sets the foundation for everything that follows.
After the Noise Stops is a refresher course focused on the part of armed self-defense that most permit holders rarely revisit: what happens after force is used.
Many people prepare for the moment of danger itself, but far fewer think through the decisions, responsibilities, and realities that follow. This class exists to slow that moment down—mentally—before it ever happens. It’s not legal advice, not a tactics class, and not a graphic retelling of worst-case scenarios. Instead, it’s a calm, structured review of what responsible carriers should understand about the immediate and longer-term aftermath of a defensive incident.
In this 90–120 minute session, we walk through what typically happens once the threat stops: the physiological effects of stress, how perception and memory can be altered, and why well-intentioned people sometimes make poor decisions in the minutes that follow. We discuss high-level considerations around calling 911, interacting with responding officers, and managing the scene without turning the situation into something worse.
The class also addresses the often-overlooked ripple effects—legal processes, emotional and psychological impact, and how a defensive incident can affect family, work, and everyday life long after it’s over. These topics are covered factually and without fear-based framing, with the goal of reducing uncertainty rather than increasing anxiety.
After the Noise Stops is designed for experienced carriers who want to think past the moment everyone trains for. It’s a chance to refresh perspective, reduce second-guessing, and better understand the weight of responsibility that comes with carrying. This course builds directly on Before the Trigger Press and completes the thinking side of the Carrying After the Permit series.
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Skills Lab: Carrying After the Permit is an in-person refresher session designed to reconnect judgment with execution. This class exists for experienced carriers who already know how to shoot, but want to confirm that their skills, habits, and decision-making are still aligned.
Unlike a traditional range class, this is not about learning new techniques, tactics, or advanced shooting concepts. It is a supervised skills check focused on safe, deliberate application—specifically drawing from the holster, managing the firearm under controlled conditions, and reinforcing fundamentals that can quietly degrade over time. Carry methods change, equipment changes, and habits drift. This lab provides a structured opportunity to reassess those habits before they matter.
During this session, students will work through a limited set of drills emphasizing safe presentation from concealment, efficiency of movement, muzzle discipline, and decision awareness on the range. The focus is not speed for its own sake, but consistency, control, and intentional action. Coaching is practical and corrective, aimed at reinforcing sound mechanics rather than pushing performance boundaries.
This class is intentionally offered as an add-on to the Carrying After the Permit series. The thinking work happens first. The Skills Lab exists to ensure that what you’ve refreshed mentally can still be applied responsibly in the real world.
For many experienced carriers, confidence doesn’t come from learning something new—it comes from knowing that what you’re already doing is still solid. This session provides that confirmation, closing the loop between judgment, responsibility, and skill.
Non-Lethal Force Options: Alternatives for Personal Safety
Expand your self-defense toolkit with our Non-Lethal Force Options class, an integral part of our Self-Defense Basics Academy. This two-hour session focuses on various non-lethal methods of protection, providing practical alternatives to traditional firearms for those seeking less aggressive means of self-defense.
Class Highlights:
- Overview of Less Lethal Tools: Explore a range of less lethal devices such as pepper spray, stun guns, and TASERs. Understand how each tool works, its effectiveness, and legal considerations associated with its use.
- Hands-On Demonstrations: Experience live demonstrations with less lethal tools. Learn the correct operational techniques to ensure effectiveness and safety.
Who Should Attend: This class is suitable for anyone interested in enhancing their personal safety, especially those who prefer non-lethal self-defense options. It is ideal for individuals who work in security, those who frequent high-risk environments, or anyone looking to complement their self-defense capabilities.
No previous experience is required. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to confidently handle less lethal self-defense tools and make informed decisions under pressure.
Conflict Avoidance for Everyday People is a practical, beginner-friendly class focused on recognizing warning signs, improving situational awareness, and learning simple ways to avoid and de-escalate conflict in everyday life.
This class is designed for normal people — not security professionals or tactical enthusiasts. Whether at the store, in a parking lot, at work, or out with family, attendees will learn practical habits and communication strategies that can help reduce risk, improve confidence, and avoid unnecessary confrontation.
Topics include:
- Situational awareness without paranoia
- Recognizing common warning signs
- Verbal de-escalation basics
- Avoiding conflict before it escalates
- Everyday safety habits and decision-making
No prior training or experience is needed.

