PD/Fire/EMS - What do you carry/where

May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
Ok guys...i know we had this thread running on the blake board, now lets get it started again. I found it useful to see what other people were carrying. First aiders/EMTs, this one applies to you too now. I am on both fire and first aid. Fire i feel like i have a handle on, but EMS i quite frankly don't have an idea of what i should have, so i just want to see what other people are doing.


For fire i have:


Fire glove


extrication gloves


chocks


res-q-wrench


Snips (incorrect spelling?)


and a few surgical masks stuffed into the top of my helmet


streamlight 4aa LED


led garrity light (disposable)


EMS:


tape


scissors


cpr mask


knife
 
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RMBROWN

Member
May 20, 2010
631
Brooklyn.MI
Fire


turnout gear pockets


2- 25' webbing and carabiners


-res q rench


- batt cutters


- saftey glasses


-wire cutters


-50' bag of rit rope


- door chocks


-extrication gloves


on suspenders 1 smith&wesson rescue knive


Helemet


rubber band w 2 chocks


fox fury led commander light


pic of wife and me inside


Ems


2 sets of latex gloves


2 pens and notebook


can of skoal mint long cut


leatherman wave on belt
 

rangerbob

Member
May 25, 2010
101
Maryland
Fire:


Radio strap - has pen & Streamlight MicroStream light on it.


Radio Pocket - 2 sprinkler/door wedges


Survivor light on right of coat


Left pocket - 10' webbing with loops on the end and single carabiner ( hose tool ) and 25' with 2 carabiners ( bail out ).


Right Pocket - Channel Lock cutter rescue tool, tire deflator, shove knife, dive knife


Left thigh pocket - ems gloves, pen, ear plugs


Right thigh pocket - knife


Helmet - three different door chocks, Streamlight Vantage, hearing protection in suspension, watch cap in suspension when it's cold, Defender system in the 1044.


Fire gloves get clipped to one of the closures for my coat. Rope & extrication gloves are in a bag that goes on the unit. Swap out the gloves depending on the call.


EMS: I have a knife, pen, and gloves. Anything else I need I grab off the rig. I use the radio strap here too.
 

MEMS-LT

Member
May 20, 2010
41
NNJ
When I work on the rig I carry:


BLS/ALS field guide


Shears


Penlight


window punch


Gloves


pen


Myclyns spray


all of this is conveniently carried in my Rainier EMS pouch.


knife in my back pocket


Some times I will just throw on my radio strap and grab what I need when/if I need it, depends on my mood :)


If i need to, because I do work in a city with alot of homeless/drunks I carry a pair of 5.11 cut proof/bloodbourne pathogen search gloves. They protect my hands better then latex/nitrile gloves and I can clean them if necessary.
 

SurfCityCar2

Member
May 20, 2010
156
Jacksonville, NC
Turnout pants pockets:


1 - 40ft rope and carabiner (for general stuff)


1 - 50 ft bag of bail-out rope and a couple carabiners


1 - pack of cigarettes (for when I forget my open pack in my truck)


1 - Gerber Diesel w/small sockets and bits


1 - S&W rescue knife


1pr - Ringers Extrication gloves


1 - 8" adjustable wrench


2 - folding spanner wrenches


1 - Channelock rescue tool


4 - small wood chocks for doors


1 - tennis ball for traffic control (when people don't want to stop, I can throw it at them)


On/In the helmet:


4 - hard rubber sprinkler chocks


1 - Garrity light


1 - 4 leaf clover


1 - Tie-dyed noxmen good inside helmet with a couple of dust masks


1 - picture of wife & kid


On the coat:


Gear keeper for radio mic


Survivor (halogen bulb, no LEDs here) light


And of course, my radio, never leave home without.
 
May 21, 2010
98
Delafield, WI
SurfCityCar2 said:
Turnout pants pockets:

1 - 40ft rope and carabiner (for general stuff)


1 - 50 ft bag of bail-out rope and a couple carabiners


1 - pack of cigarettes (for when I forget my open pack in my truck)


1 - Gerber Diesel w/small sockets and bits


1 - S&W rescue knife


1pr - Ringers Extrication gloves


1 - 8" adjustable wrench


2 - folding spanner wrenches


1 - Channelock rescue tool


4 - small wood chocks for doors


1 - tennis ball for traffic control (when people don't want to stop, I can throw it at them)


On/In the helmet:


4 - hard rubber sprinkler chocks


1 - Garrity light


1 - 4 leaf clover


1 - Tie-dyed noxmen good inside helmet with a couple of dust masks


1 - picture of wife & kid


On the coat:


Gear keeper for radio mic


Survivor (halogen bulb, no LEDs here) light


And of course, my radio, never leave home without.

:lol: That's awesome. I would do it, but I can see it getting a bad rep for the FD real quick.
 

NJEMT

Member
May 22, 2010
377
Essex County, NJ
SlickSilveradoZ71 said:
:lol: That's awesome. I would do it, but I can see it getting a bad rep for the FD real quick.

AMAZING I might have to use a tennis ball for that. I have one for the gas pump, alot of them dont have the tab to lock the handle so a tennis ball holds it so i dont have to stand there.


In my pocket EMS


flashlight, nike baseball gloves, watch, wallet, stethoscope, shears, knife, lots of non-latex gloves.
 

SurfCityCar2

Member
May 20, 2010
156
Jacksonville, NC
[quote="SlickSilveradoZ71


:lol: That's awesome. I would do it, but I can see it getting a bad rep for the FD real quick.
 
May 27, 2010
52
Beeville, TX
Left glove in left outer coat pocket and right glove in the right :p


Nomex in the inside coat pocket


MT1000 in the radio pocket, radio usually stays in the truck hooked to the batt. eliminator until it's needed


LED Survivor on the coat(will put it back if it turns up, got "misplaced" aka jacked :evil: )


10ft loop of 1" red nylon and a hose strap in the left pants pocket and a Channellock 88 in the right


I always have two Schrade knives on me that are razor sharp, one medium folding and a giant solid blade. :twisted:
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
Pager, Shears, critical care field guide and 10 or so playing cards.


Playing cards are good for lots of things.... you can place them over latches in door jams so you don't get locked out... but I use them for mental staus checks.


People can be pretty altered and still know person, place and time... So what I do is pull out 2 cards of different suits but the same number and ask the pt what's the same and what's different. Then I pull out 2 cards of the same suit but different numbers and ask again. Believe it or not I have found this to be a very good cognitive test.
 
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SurfCityCar2

Member
May 20, 2010
156
Jacksonville, NC
JohnMarcson said:
Pager, Shears, critical care field guide and 10 or so playing cards.

Playing cards are good for lots of things.... you can place them over latches in door jams so you don't get locked out... but I use them for mental staus checks.


People can be pretty altered and still know person, place and time... So what I do is pull out 2 cards of different suits but the same number and ask the pt what's the same and what's different. Then I pull out 2 cards of the same suit but different numbers and ask again. Believe it or not I have found this to be a very good cognitive test.

Never thought about using playing cards for that, awesome idea....I will have to try that one out...
 

Respondcode3

Member
May 23, 2010
1,936
Northen Il USA
The stuff I carry in my cargo pockets when im on duty.


Left side


Pocket copy of the system SMO/SOP's


Notepad pen


Right side


folding Kbar clip knife


spare latex gloves


Belt


glove pouch


nextel case


VHF XTS5000 MIII w/speaker mic in a case with an FDNY strap


Fire gear


Helmet


nomex hood in the top under webbing


coat


smith and wesson clip knife in radio pocket


front of coat


LED survivor light and alarm keys on caribener


right pocket


thin leather gloves, spare latex gloves


left pocket


2' medical tape in the winter I keep the lined leather work gloves here


inside pocket DOT haz mat orange book pen quick refence card for friction losses


pants


right pocket


right fire glove wire cutters, pliers, seat belt cutter wood chocks


left pocket


left glove webbing with caribener allen wrench kit reversable screwdriver shove knife
 

TCO

Member
May 21, 2010
808
Malvern,Pa
25' feet webbing in removable padded knee cover,3 hard rubber wedges,smith & wesson rescue knife,cable cutters,,10' rope,2 caribiners,multi bit screwdriver,shove knife,crate tool,folding spanner wrench,mini folding saw,rescue gloves,,old film container w/ pairs latex gloves,small roll of electrical and duct tape
 

jantman

Member
Jun 2, 2010
42
NJ, USA
Wow... maybe I'm just getting lazy...


EMS...


pockets/belt: cell phone, folding knife, pager, 2 sets of nitrile gloves, cpr face shield, pen, multitool (actually a Paladin PowerPlay, made by SOG), wallet, tin of mint Grizzly.


Everything else is in my truck, or in my turnout coat. If I need more than gloves, a cell phone, and a knife/pliers, I should be going back to the truck or rig anyway...


(And I know the fire guys love their multitools, but I can't count how many screen doors I've taken off because the porch railing was setup to prevent a stretcher/backboard from ever getting into the house...)
 
May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
I am tasked with putting together a multiple first aid kits for my fire dept's first due engines (various stations). None of the members besides myself are currently trained in any first aid...however all have the most basic level of CPR. Some are former EMTs though. These kits are going to be used mostly by me until i can officially transfer care to the arriving ems rig (usually a 5 minute time period at the minimum). Feel free to list items that should be in it (in the event that i miss something, or just don't know about). I cannot go out and purchase a pre-stocked kit - no money. So please do not suggest decent kits that i should consider, it just won't happen. I will consider a good bag though, either new or gently used but there must be atleast 3 of them.


Thanks!
 

tcfd823

Member
May 21, 2010
368
CENARK
In my bag, I had:


1 Stethescope


1 BP cuff (1 adult, 1 child)


1 box of bandaids


1 roll of 1" tape


1 roll of 2" tape


2 Cold Compress


2 hot compress


2 rolls of 4.5" kerlix


1 Shear


100 ct of 4x4 gauze


a box of gloves


and an AMBU bag


I'm not an EMT, just a first responder But I've had EMT as well as paramedic training. I'm not claiming to know everything, but I know a little about a lot lol. If the only things i can see you not really needing is the Compresses.. other than that.... you should be set.
 

grfd711

Member
Jun 23, 2010
1,546
Sherwood, AR
Tony covered a lot of the basics.


Don't forget koban, a couple of ABDs, a trauma dressing or two, petroleum gauze 4x4 (though the wrapper is the most useful part).


As far as anything to do with pedi, I'd make a seperate kit. Doesn't have to be much, just perhaps a pedi and child BP cuff, as well as the pedi & child BVMs. Always good to keep that stuff seperate, less hassle when you need to find it.


Another item that's handy is a bag of saline or perhaps a few 10cc prefilled syringes for irrigating eyes or flushing wounds. Don't forget the ever popular OB kit and burn blanket.
 

tcfd823

Member
May 21, 2010
368
CENARK
Yeah, i forgot the ABD's and trauma dressings and petroleum gauze... My bag was stolen a few months ago and I haven't replaced it yet.. Forgot about those lol
 

grfd711

Member
Jun 23, 2010
1,546
Sherwood, AR
Shit, I wouldn't have remembered everything right off hand, either.


Mark, are the FFs gonna be allowed to administer O2? Also, any possibility of an AED? No chance of any splinting, regarding spine board, soft splints, KED, etc?
 

Stendec

Member
May 21, 2010
816
My entire first aid kit consists of bandaids, bloodstoppers, gloves, and a cpr shield. I wouldn't know what to do with 90% of the stuff medics carry, but I do a great direct pressure. Really, without training, you could give the guys a trauma suite and it wouldn't do any good, and probably just contribute to the victim being killed. Our kits came with stethoscopes and the curved airway thingys, but once I figured out that you couldn't actually open a safe by listening to it with a stethoscope, I gave most of it to the real medics, or traded it for bandaids and bloodstoppers.


One of our guys carries a needle the size of a piece of conduit and can't wait for somebody to get shot in the lungs so he can do a chest decompression. He watched a video on how to do it.
 
May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
grfd711 said:
Shit, I wouldn't have remembered everything right off hand, either.

Mark, are the FFs gonna be allowed to administer O2? Also, any possibility of an AED? No chance of any splinting, regarding spine board, soft splints, KED, etc?


No o2. We do have an AED but in the last week it has mysteriously vanished into Out of Service land. When it comes back, i do not know. No splinting, KEDs or backboards either.


The directive on the first aid kit is as follows at the moment per insurance: individuals dealing with patients must have some sort of first aid training. As of right now, i am the only one with that clearance - and only until the ambulance gets there. Now that isn't to say it cannot be used in an emergency, which is why i am trying to keep it simple. I cannot put in BVMs either or BP cuffs. The policy is that we are not EMS providers and are not insured as such. I intend to include petroleum gauze, however i think i am the only one that would know how to appropriately use it.


the PDs around here administer o2 prior to EMS' arrival. The fire dept has very little interaction in emergency medicine. The only reason that i am pushing for new kits is because we have recently had an influx of medical assist calls.
 
May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
As of right now, no. Our public safety is set up strangely:


EMS covers 3 towns with 1600 calls per year.


Each of those 3 towns has their own fire dept with 200 - 300 calls each per year.


This agreement was done about 80 years ago. The only way that this would happen is if the first aid squad had a low member count where they were not making calls. Although it is becoming better, politics have had their hold on the area for quite a while and this is just one of those things that is out of our control at the moment.
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
Stendec said:
My entire first aid kit consists of bandaids, bloodstoppers, gloves, and a cpr shield.

+1


For the purposes you describe, I would limit it to lots and lots of sterile 4x4's, some tape, gloves, and some Bandaids. "First aid" for trauma by unskilled responders consists of stopping the bleeding and maintaining the airway, without screwing anything else up. Maybe doing CPR also, if you're unlucky. With the new CPR standards on the horizon you may be able to ditch the CPR shield soon. I use a fishing tackle size box and it works fine.


Remember K.I.S.S.


If you plan to deliver babies or decompress chests on the side of the road, better get some training. I would suggest the training before investing in the equipment. Having adult and peds BP cuffs doesn't mean much if you don't know what to do with the information once you take their BP, nor have any drugs, fluids or IV access to do anything about it anyway. Having a pilot's cap doesn't make you a pilot.
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
i got one of those lovely kits at the "mart"


Ive also got a 5.11 med pouch with some supplies in it...


2 sets of gloves, benadryl, back pain off meds for me when i need them, lots of diff size band aids (finger tip, butterfly shape, large, small, the lil "dot" ones) also alcohol wipes, antiseptic goop, and a good ol ammonia inhalant.
 

tnems7

Member
May 21, 2010
407
USA Nashville Tennessee
Here's a few of my observations from more than forty years as a first aider, EMT, and Paramedic.


I was surprised that no one seems to mention triangular bandages. A lot of upper extremity injuries can be immobilized with a sling and swathe, and that's usually on walking wounded that are not going to be a high priority with first arriving EMS. They are also a great cover bandage for extremity burns.


Depending upon how your local medical advisors feel, a three or four inch wide elastic (ACE) bandage can be used for self-administered aid and to hold a cold pack over an injured extremity.


Also, I agree that your main asset is 4" x 4" gauze pads or sponges. I was recently treating a head injury and my son wasted three or four ABD pads trying to help me, by tearing them open and handing them to me. When I am trying to get a wound to stop bleeding, give me a handful of 4 x 4 gauze sponges. An ABD is an over dressing. Also, a six ply roller bandage, like Kerlix, is preferable. A three inch width is better than a two inch size.


And note to Jarred J., omit the Ammonia Inhalants. I witnessed too much abuse of "Noxious stimuli", and usually, they would get used on a drunk, and then the EMS crew would catch the vomit. We get enough of that without causing it. (And I had eight years experience working football stadium and athletic and special event coverage at a major university, and scores of drunks and several alcohol poisoning at each event.


And this tip, check with your county school bus system or a vendor about getting their surplus first aid supplies, particularly when they use unit type first aid kits. A lot of times when a kit is opened and used, the vendor will restock the entire kit contents, rather than trying to inventory or maintain replacement unit stocks. I used to get a lot of first aid supplies donated to my Boy Scout troop and district. They would most likely cooperate with other volunteer or local government agencies.
 
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May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
Ok thanks! Cravats are a must i know that, ace bandages are something i will also get. One thing that is a must have (already have it actually) are the roller bandages. ammonia inhalants are above the dept's level of care so i was going to leave that out anyway.
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
tnems7 said:
And this tip, check with your county school bus system or a vendor about getting their surplus first aid supplies, particularly when they use unit type first aid kits. A lot of times when a kit is opened and used, the vendor will restock the entire kit contents, rather than trying to inventory or maintain replacement unit stocks. I used to get a lot of first aid supplies donated to my Boy Scout troop and district. They would most likely cooperate with other volunteer or local government agencies.

That's a great suggestion. Does anyone even make unit dose first aid kits anymore? MSA and Moore and others used to make them, but I haven't seen any for sale in a long time.
 

tnems7

Member
May 21, 2010
407
USA Nashville Tennessee
In fact, the American Red Cross has a commerative unit first aid kit in the case similar to what they sold fifty years ago.


I started taking Red Cross first aid classes in 1962, and you had to complete a course in order to purchase the kits or supplies.


But several manufacturers still produce such kits (North, MSA, etc.) The unit kits are still popular in the transportation industry because of the typical air-tight rubber gasket seal.
 

TnEMT1

Member
May 31, 2010
23
Chattanooga Tn
kinnelonfire75 said:
As of right now, no. Our public safety is set up strangely:

EMS covers 3 towns with 1600 calls per year.


Each of those 3 towns has their own fire dept with 200 - 300 calls each per year.


This agreement was done about 80 years ago. The only way that this would happen is if the first aid squad had a low member count where they were not making calls. Although it is becoming better, politics have had their hold on the area for quite a while and this is just one of those things that is out of our control at the moment.
Yeah, politics run a muck here too. My dept has a heavy rescue truck that we built through about 3 grants. We are a city Dept, however, our County is 530 Sq Miles, yet there is only 2 depts that run any type of extrication/ rescue, anything. The truck is a 1974 Am LaFrance (converted from a pumper) The epuipment alone is valued at like $300,000, anything you can think of on it. But our mayor is a jack ass. He and our old cheif were school day opponents so they did not get along. He wont let us do any rescue calls unless in our city (only about 50 sq Miles with no road with a spd limit of 40mph) and even though I along with 4 others are EMTs and all of our members are T.A.R.S Extrication certified, dispatch still has to call out our neighboring department, wich is also a rescue epuipped dept. Politics are so damn stupid. Also on our trucks we have AED's, ( a good life saving device) our mayor told us that we "might as well take the damn things off the trucks because they're just going to be collecting dust" Now even though we are a mosl=tly volunteer dept, we have 6 people that are trained on an AED, we are not allowed to touch them. Our Co has 2 ambulances that cover the whole county and they are a private/gov combo service and when both of the trucks are tied up in town, there is no one else to run the calls, another mayor F*&% up...... Small town bull huh.
 

CACBAND

Member
Nov 11, 2010
352
Bering Sea
Well,


I just got hired onto a simi-rural dept and was looking for ideas as to what to keep in my duty bag.


Other than the basics: backup light, hand cleaner, couple of snacks, small first aid-kit, spare knife.
 

RolnCode3

Member
May 21, 2010
322
Sacramento, CA
Is this your up-front bag, or the trunk bag?


If you're talking about up-front for quick access:


Extra boxes of ammo for all your weapons.


Extra loaded magazines for weapons that take them.


Extra pairs of handcuffs.


Flex-cuffs.


Quick-ref guides.


Binoculars.


Extra bottle of OC for when you know you will encounter a dog.
 

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
Gloves (search and medical), batteries (radio and flashlight, even if they are rechargeable), spare sunglasses, extra paperwork, traffic vest, flashlight cones, spare cuffs, pens and note pads, and +1 on the snacks.


My last dept assigned us cars so we were the only ones using it and didn't move our stuff. If you get something like this, get a seat back organizer made of hard plastic. This, plus a small backpack with my snacks, water bottles, etc, and my personal M4 were the only things I took out at the end of shift.


One other item I always recommend, esp in an assigned car, is a satellite radio (Sirius/ XM). I love mine, esp since where I work has 1 good radio station and the rest are country or R and B. On night shift, it is worth it's weight in gold.
 
May 29, 2010
145
Luminary-Frostbite,TN
RL1 said:
Gloves (search and medical), batteries (radio and flashlight, even if they are rechargeable), spare sunglasses, extra paperwork, traffic vest, flashlight cones, spare cuffs, pens and note pads, and +1 on the snacks.

My last dept assigned us cars so we were the only ones using it and didn't move our stuff. If you get something like this, get a seat back organizer made of hard plastic. This, plus a small backpack with my snacks, water bottles, etc, and my personal M4 were the only things I took out at the end of shift.


One other item I always recommend, esp in an assigned car, is a satellite radio (Sirius/ XM). I love mine, esp since where I work has 1 good radio station and the rest are country or R and B. On night shift, it is worth it's weight in gold.

What's wrong with country lol? But on a more serious note, another thing to carry with you in a rural county is an extra uniform, or at least a LEO t-shirt and BDU's. Living in a rural county myself, and working alongside quite a few officers, I have seen uniforms get really soiled really quick due to subjects and their actions. Oh, and from the rural EMS side of things, always carry a bottle of Febreze or similar product. You never know when the person you haul is going to stink up your vehicle.....


One other thing: A bottle of hand sanitizer. They even make these for keychains.
 

Fenn

Member
May 28, 2010
228
Ocean County, NJ
My bag has 2 extra loaded magazines, spare cuffs, package of flex cuffs, extra flashlight, search gloves, nitriles gloves, hand sanitizer, a bunch of pens/ pads and a extra radio battery.
 

CACBAND

Member
Nov 11, 2010
352
Bering Sea
I'm not going to have my own vehicle, so I didn't really say, but this would be the all around gear bag. Would also add folders with forms.


I already have a real good list for a "Go Bag/Bailout Bag" that I got in the academy but we didn't much cover the "general" duty bag, they just pretty much said "have one with stuff to make life easy" at the end of that class.
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
I carry in my duty bag Paperwork,50 extra rounds for my duty weapon, 25 extra rounds for my shotgun, duct tape, pens pencils, note pads, a good multi tool, extra flashlight, two extra pistols "Colt 1911 .45" And "Keltec PF9 9mm" and 50 rounds for each of those guns, a good knife, a box of medical gloves, alot of purell hand sanitizer, extra cash and change, snacks and drinks, a camera, cell phone charger, extra uniform, and thanks to SBPARKCOP i also carry an extra warning light just in case i need it a FLATLIGHTER Strobe.


Yes that is all inside ONE duty bag.
 
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