BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - What should you do in the event a burglar comes into your house?
It's why so many homeowners say they live in fear.
A women's gun safety and fundamentals class is helping some overcome that fear, as a firearm is for many the last line of defense.
Elderly ladies are spending eight hours on a gun range learning how to operate a firearm of their choice.
They're students in that class, and they say it's well worth the investment.
"I have found everything interesting," adds Myra McCollum, Alcorn County resident. "I knew nothing about this before and it's a little more difficult than I thought but I think I'm going to get it."
The gun safety course is designed to teach people defensive measures in the event that they have to use a firearm to protect their house or property.
"Now I feel very confident to get my gun if I need to," adds McCollum. "You just have to have it handy. If I hear something outside or if somebody tried to come into my house, I think I would feel confident [enough to use it]."
People who live alone or might be handicapped say a firearm can do something that an alarm or pet might not accomplish, and that action may be the final deterrent to a would-be burglar.
"As far as someone breaking into [a house with] handicapped or elderly people, a gun or weapon is the last line of defense to protect themselves as well as their property," said Derrick Hester, investigator with the Prentiss County Sheriff's Department.
With the class being small in numbers, it works to the advantage of these students who -- following two days of classroom instruction -- receive extra attention at the range.
"With the smaller classes like this gun safety fundamentals class, it gives us a little better opportunity to teach them one-on-one scenarios and everything," added Hester.
The extra attention translates into more confidence which in turn can be the difference in saving their own lives when defending themselves inside their homes.
