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What do you carry?
Just curious what various items people carry in their bunker gear. I'm relatively new to the department, just finished my 6 month probation two months ago, and am slowly working out what I want to have with me, and how I want to carry it. As we've gone through training over the last 7-8 months, I've paid attention to what other guys on my dept. keep on them, and how they keep it with them.
So far, I've got:
- Combination tool (spanner wrench, glass point, gas key, etc. - pretty common tool) in right pants pocket
- "Rescue" knife (not very happy with this particular one, lower quality blade than I had hoped, but I'm a firm believer in always having a knife at ready access, and I haven't gotten around to finding a better one yet) clipped to right pants pocket
- About 8-10' chunk of 3/8" rope, haven't decided which pocket it's going in yet for sure, want to find a velcro strap to keep it coiled until needed.
- Extrication gloves in left pocket of pants, with safety glasses below them
- Fire gloves, going back and forth between in right pants pocket or on a velcro glove strap. Haven't decided yet.
I haven't gone through FF1 yet, so I haven't thought much yet about 'interior' items (door wedges, etc.) yet, but will probably cut a few next time I'm in the shop on a woodworking project.
A coworker (on a different department) keeps a small tool set in one pocket, in case he needs to pull an outlet box apart inside a house or something like that - saves time going back to the truck for tools.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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You've got to be kidding. If you know what goes in each pocket and set them up the same after every call, you'll never don the wrong gloves.
Documented cases of screwdriver impalements through turnout gear - zero, despite many years of firefighters carryng them.
Documented cases of firefighters amputating fingers with a pocketknife - zero.
Most importantly, worker's comp cannot refuse to cover an on-duty injury due to what you carry. Worker's comp covers people that get hurt at work. If your claim was accurate, no mechanic could ever use their own tools in a FD maintenace shop. However, they do it every day around the U.S.
I don't think you had a single factual claim in your post.
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Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
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what if you trip on your shoe strings while putting your boots on and bash your head on the cement floor? Or catch your thing in the zipper while peeing after the call? Or any other stupid scenario you can make-up.
hurt by the multi-tool
More firefighters carry tools of some sort than not. Heck I have been carrying at minimum a screwdriver, a multi-tool, and a knife for almost 30 years...Never been eviscerated by the screwdriver, cut off an appendage with the knife, or hurt by the multi-tool. The claim that you will be denied worker's compensation while on the job is just plain silly.
Look if you don't want to carry any tools great. But unless you have data to show what you are saying is true it is just BS and I think you know that.
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That sounds as if someone missed the all-important buddy check prior to entering the fire building.
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Well, Don, it looks as if we replied to another one of those magical dissappearing posts from one of our FFF instant experts...
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Permalink Reply by Eric Yunginger on
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Noticed that when I checked my mail this morning... "Hm... Some posts appear to be missing..."
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Golly, I wanted him to debate me on it...He tried to say if you got hurt using a personal knife or fell with screwdriver in your pocket and got gored, worker's comp would deny you coverage. Yeah, um, no...
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Permalink Reply by Ken Scofield on
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The turnout coats my FD supply us with have two radio pockets. In the left one I keep a pair of cable cutters. I keep my flashlight in the other. It's one of those 90 deg headed jobs (Pelican Lil' Ed with Recoil LED) that is clipped to the mic tab above the pocket. In my left coat pocket I keep a CPR mask (comes with a case) and in the right coat pocket I keep a long webbing roll (15-20 ft?) with a 'biner on it, wrapped in an EMS glove (keeps it together). I keep my fire gloves in my pants pockets, and another webbing roll.
I have a "truckie" belt with a pouch, in which I keep a 4-way screw driver, a pair of modified channel locks (ends bent for through-the-lock use) and a Lil' Rex, which I modified for use with the adze of the Halligan bar. I wear one of those leather radio straps, and keep my radio under my coat (pre-set to the correct channel), and as for the mic I have it come up and out over my storm flap. Keeps it handy, yet reduces the tangle hazard.
Clipped to my SCBA I have a bag with 50' of RIT 500 and an F-4 decender. I still haven't bought a hook - been looking though. I have a double-looped figure 8 knot (very small loops) with a carabiner there to wrap a tool or other substantial anchor in the event I need to bail. My FD's area has several homes built into hillsides where there may be one or two stories in front, but can have four or five stories in the back.
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I've been in the fire service for nearly 24 yrs as of this writing, and I encourage you to evaluate for yourself what you want/need to carry with you. My personal set-up changes a couple times a year sometimes, so don't be bothered if you try something today that you think will be the cat's meow, and find in a given time period (six months - a few years, what ever) that you don't use it. It's ok. Experiment for yourself. Be competent with what you do carry.
I echo the comments about a flash light. Get the best kind that you can, and take care of it. I also echo those who suggest carrying a roll or two of webbing. Webbing's uses are limited only by your imagination (and their heat rating ;^). If you have a lot of buildings that are two or more stories tall, I would also suggest that you look into some sort of bail-out system. Take your time, evaluate your needs/wants based on the area your FD covers.
Welcome to the fire service! I sincerely hope you enjoy your time in!
Stay safe.
Ken
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Permalink Reply by 1092l017pr9w9 on
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I carry 2 cable cutters (one in my radio pocket and one in the right bunker pants pocket),
2 flash lights (the streamlight vantage on my helmet and a streamlight survivor led on my bunker coat),
2 20 ft webbing in pouches one on each side of my gear,
a couple of door wedges in my pants pocket ,extrication gloves and my hood in pants pocket,
firefighting gloves on a velcro strap on my coat, and combination spanner wrench tool
welcome to the service and stay safe
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