Hey Guys im starting to get into ems been a FF for two years going to do a ride along with Rescue Squad monday just wondering is it okay to wear shorts with high tactical boots or is that just weird or looks ridiculous thanks.
I adopted a personal policy when I was in the military....I prepared my uniform to look better than my supervisor (or the inspecting officer)...They never had anything negative to say to me about my uniform except for the time I had a damn button undone.......LOL...it also showed them that I cared about how I look, and about the pride I had for being a memeber of My unit.....
I don't think shorts are a good idea. We are exposed to icky gross stuff in EMS. Having pants as opposed to bare skin gives you a bit more protection. It may not be much but it may be enough to prevent an exposure.
"icky gross stuff"....? Now that's what I call a description.......LOL We had a Firefighter fall into a manure pit...happened a new probie saw him fall in and kept his cool and got him out without incident.......probably saved the man's life....No there is icky, gross stuff......
I know that along of Departments areallowed to wear duty shorts, but you should vheck with the required dresscode for riders at that Department. Remember, you're not a member of that Department yet,you're still a guest so berespectful of their rules and dress codes.
it looks ridiculous... they make the short station boots or even the tactical sneakers now... see converse, bates, 5.11, etc... even the low cut magnums...
We are prohibited from wearing shorts because of the potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens. For instance, you go to an MVA, having an HIV+ patient that is unconcious and bleeding profusely. You kneel down beside him to start your assessment and your BARE knee ends up in a pool of blood. You don't see the piece of window glass in the blood. The piece of glass you just cut your knee on...the cut that is now being filled with HIV pathogens...
We are also prohibited from wearing shorts on any rescue calls, if you do show up in shorts we are required to put on either our bunker pants or we have jump suits that we can wear(which are hot as hell to be in and feel like they are made of burlap)
To be honest I hate when I have shorts on underneath my bunkers.
Reg, I am sort of glad that you mentioed HIV+ patients...why do people get so hung up on only HIV+...Many may or may not be aware but Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can kill you as well and are much easier to contract....Some forms of Hepatitis can survive in a dry state for days and if moistened can again become virulent....they now say that if a drop of blood has HIV virus in it and drops to the floor that the virus is dead before it strikes the floor....Now, I don't want to test that theory mind you....