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What to Carry in Your Pockets
Pockets Aren't Just Hand Warmers
A brief rundown of essential tools to carry & where
By Robert L. James III
Often new firefighters are unaware of the things they need to carry in their pockets to do the job. Even experienced firefighters may be missing the opportunity to maximize their pocket space; I've run across firefighters who have no idea what's in their own pockets.
Ladies and gentlemen, pockets are not just hand warmers. And when you put your hands in your pockets to pull out the tools or equipment you need, you shouldn't be surprised by what you find.
Some important questions that you need to ask yourself when purchasing tools you will carry in your pockets include: Is this something that I'm going to use often? Is this a tool that I will be able to get out of my pockets in a hurry if needed?
Tools carried: cable cutters/linesman pliers
I've found that the best way to outfit your pockets is to make a list of the types of calls that your company runs. Use this information to determine what types of tools you need without having to return to the rig every time. After identifying the necessary tools, assemble them in your pockets in a way that they can be easily deployed.
The type of gear, total number of pockets and the placement of clips all affect how and where you will store your tools. I highly recommend that when setting up your pockets, place the tools that you use frequently in one pocket and the tools needed for RIT or bailout kits in another pocket. Remember: All tools should be easily accessible. If you put your tools in a pencil pouch or something as simple as a Crown Royal bag, it keeps your sharp tools from going through your pockets and destroying your turnout gear.
The pictures to the left demonstrate some tools I carry in my turnout gear to fit my day-to-day operations.
Robert James is a career firefighter with Frederick (Md.) County Fire Rescue. He's been in the fire service for 10 years and is a certified level I instructor.
A brief rundown of essential tools to carry & where
By Robert L. James III
Often new firefighters are unaware of the things they need to carry in their pockets to do the job. Even experienced firefighters may be missing the opportunity to maximize their pocket space; I've run across firefighters who have no idea what's in their own pockets.
Ladies and gentlemen, pockets are not just hand warmers. And when you put your hands in your pockets to pull out the tools or equipment you need, you shouldn't be surprised by what you find.
Some important questions that you need to ask yourself when purchasing tools you will carry in your pockets include: Is this something that I'm going to use often? Is this a tool that I will be able to get out of my pockets in a hurry if needed?
Tools carried: cable cutters/linesman pliers
The type of gear, total number of pockets and the placement of clips all affect how and where you will store your tools. I highly recommend that when setting up your pockets, place the tools that you use frequently in one pocket and the tools needed for RIT or bailout kits in another pocket. Remember: All tools should be easily accessible. If you put your tools in a pencil pouch or something as simple as a Crown Royal bag, it keeps your sharp tools from going through your pockets and destroying your turnout gear.
The pictures to the left demonstrate some tools I carry in my turnout gear to fit my day-to-day operations.
Robert James is a career firefighter with Frederick (Md.) County Fire Rescue. He's been in the fire service for 10 years and is a certified level I instructor.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Mak FF5 on October 1, 2009 at 2:12pm
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i carry most of my tools and rope in my pants pockets
gloves in one jacket pocket and my hood in the other
tools i carry are a foldable spanner,door chock,and the channel locks 89 tool
i also carry 50 ft of escape rope wih 2 carabiners
we dont pulle stems here so i dont carry a puller
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Comment by Lance Boyd on October 1, 2009 at 8:20am
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Good info. I may put my gear in different pockets though. I am not sure I could get to it in my coat pocket. Especially my bailout kit.
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Comment by Mitch Lawson on October 1, 2009 at 7:56am
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wish my friend from Memphis Fire Dept. would have seen this.A few years ago he was trapped in ceiling wire and was not able to free his self, R.I.P. Chuck Zackery
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Comment by ff922 on October 1, 2009 at 4:22am
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wow hey mr. fred eppinger i hope that you where just joking around about the backdraft movie comment with the valve stem remover???!!! for those of you who do not know what they are used for one reason they are used is for car extrication to stabilize an uprighted vehicle. there is nothing worse then trying to cut someone out of a vehicle and it starts to roll. FYI Fred!!!!
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Comment by Ron King (Fire Chief) on September 30, 2009 at 11:25pm
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Wayne, That looks like my turnout coat. My coat weights 25 lbs. (Ha Ha). But I have used every thing in it.
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Comment by Fred Eppinger on September 30, 2009 at 10:40pm
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Hey Wayne,
That's to flatten the tires of the idiot that parked in front of the hydrant after you use the center punch to break his windows so you can pass the line with a leaky coupling thru the car. :)
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Comment by wayne rudolph on September 30, 2009 at 10:00pm
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y do you carri a valve stem remover
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Comment by Stephan Charest on September 30, 2009 at 9:35pm
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I basicly have the same gear than the pics plus a Door Wedge... Working glove...
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Somewhere in there you should also have a hose stap and 2 folding spanners.
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Comment by FETC on September 30, 2009 at 4:50pm
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Good question Marcus, my piece had an answer to that question.
Hey Kali, I am sure this subject has been written many times before. Probably why few national authors post on these sites. I had a variation (different points) from your example.
http://www.firefighternation.com/profiles/blogs/whats-in-your-pockets
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