Some personnel are issued weapons and need to be proficient with them, to protect themselves and their patients. Others encounter weapons while providing care to patients. The safe handling of these weapons is important.

Recognition of common explosives is also important:

• Consider a wounded Marine brought to your medical facility. 
• In his right BDU pocket is a block of grey putty-like material. 
• In his left BDU pocket are three metal canisters, each the size of a half cigarette, and each extruding two thin wires. 

Many medical providers will not realize that these materials are dangerous. Even those who recognize these objects will often over-estimate the danger of the C-4 explosive (very stable unless detonated by an explosion) and underestimate the danger of the detonators. (very unstable and may explode if dropped, sat on, hit with a hammer, or taken apart to see what is inside)