I was reading and commented on a post about a person who carried all kinds of crap on his helmet and it got me thinking .... What tools do people carry in their bunker or turnout coat pockets ?
I carry in my right bunker pant pocket .. a utility knife, 2 wooden wedges, 4 small plastic wedges (great for plugging sprinkler heads) a pair of klein cable cutters, my right glove
In my left pocket I carry a 6' piece and a 15' of webbing, 2 more wooden wedges, my left glove
My right pocket a pair of pliers, straight screw driver, shove knife, seat belt cutter
My left pocket a phillips screw driver, pair of trauma shears.
I also carry a flashlight with shoulder strap and a straight edge dive knife wire tied to the shoulder strap that rests in the middle of my chest.
Never all that big on carring alot of extra gadgets in my coat or Pants pockets.
Radio pocket has the radio, I also carry a PASS device and a Box Key with an elevator key, and a flashlight
Right coat pocket, Right glove and wood chock
Left coat pocket, left glove and webbing
inside pocket, wire cutters and a screw driver and small adjustable wrench
I never carry anything in my pants pocket. I also dont carry extra anything, dont see the need to carry an extra hood or glooves in my pocket, And I never carry anything on the helmet.
My helmet has an LED flashlight. It's a 'caving' light that wraps around the helmet so the light sits in front and doesn't hang off the side.
Left coat pocket: LED flashlight, safety glasses, ear plugs, rubber door chock, 6' webbing, 16-penny nails.
Right coat pocket: hose chain, 3 carabiners, key ring w/ Simplex B key and elevator box key, leather work gloves for overhaul.
Left bunker pocket: 20' webbing, 2 wooden door chocks, 2 rubber door holders.
Right bunker pocket: Gerber pocket knife, Smith & Wesson Response knife (has screwdriver, seat belt cutter and window punch), another window punch, shove knife, wire cutters, vise-grips with chain attached, folding spanner wrench, rubber door chock and small length of 6mm rope.
Left Coat Pocket: Knife w/ seatbelt cutter and window punch
Pants Right: Spare Flashlight, Wire cutters, gerber tool, trauma shears, a PakTracker(while i'm on duty)
Pants Left: Spare Flashhood, Extrication Gloves, A seatbelt(for pulling pedals and stabilizing stuff if ya don't know)
Radio in radio pocket.
Gloves in flashlight holder on bunker coat
I keep my wedges and 2 streamlights on my helmet plus a helmet cam sometimes.
Two webbings , diagonal cutters , a screwdriver set.. additional work gloves .. buck knife in radio strap ,Pliers and a small vise grip . rope bag if we are comming off the ground or warehouse structure . On my Helmet I carry wedges to hold doors open , golf tee to plug auto fuel lines that leak . 10 penny nails to hold door hinges open on metal doors .fireman's hand light . additional to the one on my front jacket.
MY GUYS CALL ME INSPECTOR GADGET BUT IN 9 YRS I KNOW WHAT I NEED AND WHAT I DONT I CARRY THE SAME STUFF MINUS THE DIVE KNIFE BUT I DO CARRY A LETHER MAN ON MY TAKE UP STRAP ON MY BUNKERS I KEEP ALL MY TOOL IN TWO ZIP POUCHES U CAN BUY AT LOWES AND IT HAS A BEINER SO WHEN IAM WORKING I CAN CLIP IT TO THE LOOP ON THE FRONT OF MY PANTS WHAT U DO SHOULD DICTATE WHAT U CARRY IF U DONT DEAL WITH HOSE DONT CARRRY A SPANNER IF DONT DO EXTRACATIONS DONT CARRY THAT GEAR ITS THAT SIMPLE MORE GEAR = SLOWER FIRE FIGHTERS (IF YOU NEED TOOLS GET FROM THE TRUCK )
So, since I seem to be the biggest rookie in this entire FFN network...what are the necessary tools to have in your pockets? I have a nife that doubles as a seat belt cutter, window punch, screw-driver all in one. Hack away ladies and gents.
No one here can tell you what you need to carry. I suggest to you that you read all of the comments that were posted on this thread and go from there.
Identify all of the various items that people have mentioned and their potential uses. Then, you need to identify these tools and their applications and compare them to the type of service your department provides.
As many people have stated, they carry different tools based on what they're likely to encounter. Truckies might carry things that Engine guys don't need and vice-versa. People who work at rural Rescue Squads may carry stuff that's entirely different than what we carry in an urban or suburban structural response setting.
The one thing I can stress that you should carry is some heavy duty wire cutters if you do any type of interior structural firefighting.
The only way you can learn what you need is to analyze your needs and then equip yourself to be prepared to handle them.