Where are Fortress Gun Safes Made?

Fortress Safes makes its gun safes in China but distributes them throughout the U.S., and Cabela sold some Fortress safes in Canada. Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe, is based in Naperville, Illinois, and it recalled a long list of safes sold by various retailers.

Fortress Safe is Being Sued

Fortress Safe said it is being sued because a 12-year-old Nevada boy allegedly died after getting into one of the company’s safes. Casey Preston, the boy’s father, bought a Fortress gun safe in March 2021 from Scheels Sporting Goods.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted a notice about the Fortress Safe recall: “Consumers can believe they have properly programmed the biometric feature when in fact the safe remains in the default to open mode, which can allow unauthorized users, including children, to access the safe to remove hazardous contents, including firearms,”

#RECALL: 61K Biometric Gun Safes due to risk of severe injury & death. Get replacement. CONTACT: Fortress Safe toll-free at 833-588-9181, https://t.co/XboDGoSFAj or https://t.co/LsHdrxzIK1.

Full recall notice: https://t.co/uCdzpnN685 pic.twitter.com/1acLHBedzo

— US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) October 19, 2023

What Fortress Safes Are Being Recalled

• Fortress Portable Safe with Biometric Lock   11B20
• Fortress Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock  44B10
• Legend Range & Field Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock    44B10L
• Fortress Medium Personal Safe with Biometric Lock   44B20
• Fortress Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock   55B20
• Fortress Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock   55B30
• Gettysburg Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock   55B30G
• Cabela’s 4-Gun Safe with Biometric Lock   4BGGBP
• Cabela’s Biometric Personal Safe   55B30BP

Where Were the Fortress Safes Sold?

The Safes sold between January 2019 and October 2023 at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gander, Rural King, Lowe’s, and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com.

Get a Fortress Safe Replacement

Do not use the biometric features on a Fortress Safe that is on the list. Instead, remove the batteries from the biometric reader and only use the key to open the safe.

You can contact Fortress Safe for instructions on disabling the biometric lock and a free replacement safe.

You can call Fortress Safe at 833-588-9191 or complete the replacement form from Fortress Safe here.

There are many things to learn from watching this video, but my emphasis is on what happened after the shooting.

I often talk about how to prevent being involved in a confrontation. Someone recently asked me why the person who was shot in another video I discussed didn’t receive medical attention from the responding officers.

What Happened After This Shooting Caught on Body Cam

This is a separate case that recently happened in Chicago. The officer on top of the individual in this video is a Field Training Officer (FTO). A couple of people have said the second officer was fresh out of the academy (I haven’t been able to 100% confirm this, but the pieces fit).

This article is NOT ABOUT TACTICS and what could have been done better. Its focus is after the shots are fired.

In the body cam, the man tells officers to kill him as they wrestle over his gun. The younger officer dropped his firearm during the altercation to help the FTO. After several seconds, two shots were fired during the struggle on the floor. The individual clearly was not going to allow himself to be arrested and ended up getting shot. He even said multiple times, “Shoot me.”

After the shots are fired, it goes from bad to worse. The younger officer, who did not fire his weapon, runs out to the squad car to get a first aid kit, then returns to the house.

• It appears the officer had no medical supplies on him. Not even a tourniquet (TQ)
• When he looks for a medical kit, it is not readily accessible, and when he opens the trunk, he rummages through things, looking for what he needs.
• The gloves to prevent blood contamination are not in the kit. If they are, he is not aware of it. Again, those few seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

You often hear the term “Individual First Aid Kit” (IFAK) when referring to a small medical first aid kit someone would carry.

It was almost a minute before the officer returned and would have been ready to render aid. I don’t think there was any chance of saving the guy, even if they could have immediately treated his wound.

The suspect did not survive, but neither officer was physically injured. Emotional trauma for the officers involved is a different story.

WARNING: This is for training and awareness; some people will find it difficult to watch. Not as much because of the medical aspect, but you can feel the officer’s emotions. It does an excellent job of showing what these guys go through.

The full video can be seen here. All of the case files are here that have been released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA).

How Long Does It Take to Bleed Out From a Gunshot?

A person can bleed to death in as little as 2 minutes if someone doesn’t stop the bleeding. The average time it takes for a person to bleed out following severe physical trauma, such as a gunshot wound, is between three and five minutes. The average response time for emergency personnel is 7 to 10 minutes. In some areas, this wait time can be considerably longer.

In the image, you can see how easily it is to carry a tourniquet you can get to quickly. This is on the holster of an officer from the Allen, Texas, Police Department. This department responded to the Allen Mall mass shooting in May 2023. In this incident, people who had been shot were receiving critical care, including tourniquets, before emergency medical help had arrived.

A tourniquet can easily be carried even if you do not have room for a full IFAK. Different types are available, including the one shown above that attaches right to your holster, made by RDR Gear. Even if you conceal carry, options are available, like the Flatpack that goes on the Phlster Enigma.

Bleeding out can happen fast, and seconds count. I was at the Texas DPS facility outside Austin a few months ago. I got to talking with a combat medic, who told me of a story where he had to stick his finger in a wound to stop the bleeding. His finger remained there in flight and all the way to the hospital. Fortunately, the person survived, but I could tell it was something that the medic would remember forever.

Should You Provide First Aid to Your Attacker?

That’s a question there is no straightforward answer to. Is the scene safe? Are you trained to provide first aid? Can someone else provide aid? This is a topic of its own. I will emphasize that not all incidents are safe, and treating the injured is not always practical.

Your personal safety comes first.

I’m a strong advocate of being able to provide medical care, and “Stop the Bleed” is available all over the country. The program is available for anyone to attend, even if you are the average person wanting to learn what to do if you are the one who needs help.

Some notable products include American Tactical’s FXH-45DS semi-automatic pistol, Taurus USA’s 856 T.O.R.O. and 605 T.O.R.O. small-frame revolvers with optic plates, and the Taurus TX 22 Compact semi-auto designed for a red-dot sight. Rugged Suppressors showcased a belt-fed firearm, while Hogue revealed rubber grips that fit models like Sig P365 and Ruger Max.

The event can be followed on social media with hashtags #SHOTshow, #SHOTshow2023, #NSSF, and @LetsTalkDGU.

Visit USA Carry to discover more about these thrilling products and the event.