What's in your pocket???

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chuck on April 26, 2008 at 7:54pm

I carry a whole bunch of stuff in my pockets...basically anything that I either, think that I might need in a situation, or something that is tried and true from firefighters in the past...or anything that I can comfortably carry. In my right pocket I carry a wooden chock with a kerf cut 3/4 of the way up the center, linesman pliers, small visegrips, small slip joint pliers with one end shaped like a key tool, small 6-in-1 screwdriver a roll if duplex 10 penny and 8 penny nails held together with a rubberband and a utility knife. In my left pocket I carry larger visegrips with a 5 foot chain attached (double wrapped around the pliers) a 10' length of webbing looped with a water knot and another wooden chock. In my radio pocket I carry EMS shears and a window punch (sheathed) and a 5' length of webbing looped with a water knot and tied into a texas love knot.. Right leg pocket is (Tom Brennan Special) 25' length of utility rope and extra gloves. Left leg pocket is my bail-out system. We run two man apparatus (Engine, Truck, Rescue) Ya never know when you have to do more than what you are initially assigned to... I don't want to let the Brothers down!! Most of these things were compiled from tips I have read or listened to other fireman say works. Dave Walsh's "Tricks of The Trade" articles. Brennan's "Random Thoughts" is great for Ideas. Lt. Mike Ciampo (FDNY) has some really great Ideas also. Mostly you'll find truckies are very innovative.

Permalink Reply by Chuck on April 26, 2008 at 7:56pm

....and that rubber band on my helmet can be used for holding lockset strikes in an open position.

Permalink Reply by Wayne Benner Jr on April 29, 2008 at 8:53am

I have all of my medical and rescue tools in my coat pockets because there easy to get to when Im not wearing a SCBA. All of my suppression Survival gear is in my pant pockets for the same reason as stated above.
COAT:
Left pocket: (Medical) gloves, safety glasses, scissors, small flashlite.
Right (Auto Ex) Glass punch, 2x bungiee cords, 12ft Webbing, Seat belt cutter, Multi Screwdriver
Radio Pocket: 2x Glow sticks
Pants:
Pocket 1-Bailtout kit 50' with fig 8 rescue 2 carabiners
Pocket 2-15ft webbing 2 carabiners, 2 door chalks, Lineman Plyers,
Heltmet(Inside) Auto ex gloves.

I also carry a Pelican Saber light.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Holmstrom on April 30, 2008 at 9:36am

Hey gang, All the inovative tools and gagets are awesome. I have an idea of what most are used for but some are stumping me. When ya post if ya can write what the uses are.

Thanks

Permalink Reply by Jimm Walsh on April 30, 2008 at 10:30am

Check out
www.vententersearch.com/pockets.htm
We have a bunch of photos and descriptions of "What's in your Pockets"
Feel free to email any additional things you'd like to see on the site...
jimm@vententersearch.com

Permalink Reply by Wayne Benner Jr on April 30, 2008 at 10:33am

Hey Jeff. I think I can help.

Plyers - for cutting wire if intangled.
Vicegrips - for holding a garage door coming down on your head.
Glowstick. If lost for others to find, or leave at an egress to find the door on round trip
Webbing & Rope - many purposes.
Bungee Cords 6-8 inch - Hold doors open or keep you Iron set together
Screw driver - can be used tio force locks.
Golf tees - To fill in small gas tank leaks.
Bailout kit- 50-75ft (the obvious)
Vicks vapour rub - :) some guys use to put under there nose if the call is a stinky call. (I dont)
The list can go and on. Just remember no sense putting this stuff in your gear if in an emergency and seconds count you dont know what pocket. I use this against guys during FF Survival and RIT drills. And it can weight alot.

Just a note:
I keep a small bag on the rig when on shift that carries my extra suppression gloves, socks, coveralls, Gatoraide, Gum for the mid night bad breath med calls :)

Permalink Reply by Nick Weiland on May 1, 2008 at 12:59am

Radio pocket- Super saber light (as a spare) Wire cutters and glow stick

Left coat pcoket-safety glasses, razor knife and medic scissors(remember these things can cut more than clothes, there good for wire and plastics)

Right coat pocket, straight and philips screw driver, 15/16" tip, golf ball(haha i was told about this a long time ago, that you can use a golf ball to vent a window, mainly on an upper floor, never tried it, never in the heat of the moment thought to try it, but i found it at the firehouse one day, so maybe i'll use it sometime)

Left pant pocket 20' webbing tied in a loop

Right pant pocket- same as left pant pocket

I keep the min. in my gear to keep a slim and light weight profile. Not to mention my radio under my coat on my left side and my FD1 light over my coat but under my scba hanging on my right side. I keep a small tool bag on the rig during my shift which carries my rescue gloves and extra everything else that i may need, not under emergency condtions.

Permalink Reply by Chuck on May 2, 2008 at 10:22pm

To clarify a little...the chock with the kerf is so it can be split if need be to chock a sprinkler. The nails have multiple uses They can be placed on a Mag-lock door security device to prevent the door from being locked magnetically, you can chock the hinge side of residential and commercial doors with them. The texas love knot webbing is to quickly wrap around a victims wrist and drag them out.

Permalink Reply by Chad Berg on May 4, 2008 at 5:45pm

I work on a Ladder company in an urban, suburban area. Our ladder company operates out of a quint apparatus. and may have engine reponsibilities in our first due for "single company" responses. I think that some items in your pockets should be a reflection of your first due challenges and the type of company (ladder, engine, & such) that you are assigned to and the tasks associated with being assigned to that time of apparatus.
I also am a firm believer in coming up with a system and sticking to it. I keep all of my software on my right side and all of my hardware on my left side. I walk with a heavy limp to the left, but I always know where my stuff is when I'm quickly looking to grab it.

PANTS:

Left pocket
- Vice Grips with screw link welded to adjusting bolt kept in a gardening shears sheath with a key tool slipped into it.
- several wooden door chalks
- angle iron "hooking" door chalk
- penny cutting shears
- folding cerrated knife w/ clip

Right pocket
- 4 hose straps (loops of webbing approx. 8')

COAT:

Left pocket
- (1) 1.5" gasket
- (1) 2.5" gasket
- folding spanner
- cigar cutter & lighter
- light box shoulder strap with seat belt -like attachment for break-away

Right pocket
- nomex hood
- leather utility gloves

Radio pocket
- large wire dykes (battery cable style)
- ear plugs
- safety glasses

Truck Belt
- Drop Bag (50' of aramid/kevlar rope) w/ a side pocket containing another hose strap

Helmet
- rubber door latch controller
- several masonry nails

Permalink Reply by Chuck on May 4, 2008 at 7:31pm

Cigar Cutter and Lighter.....hehe I like where your head's at!

Permalink Reply by Richard Michitsch on June 7, 2008 at 4:14pm

Some of the stuff I carry:
-A putty knife-that I cut notches in. (see attached)
-I cover my mask with a hat- it serves 2 purposes, one to protect my mask and since I’m bald it covers my head when we’re packing up the apparatus.(see attached)
-Tool bag with a multi-tool, a screw driver with both Philips/Flat, electrical tester, electrical tape.
-Bail out system with 50 feet of rope
-30 feet of tubular webbing
-Other: EMT shears, wire cutters, glow sticks, CPR Mask, work gloves, Black Sharpi Marker.
DON’T be the next one, BE safe!
Richard

Permalink Reply by Anthony Avillo on June 19, 2008 at 9:28pm

i found that when i was a FF, every 6 months, if there was something i did not use, i jettisoned it
i had so much crap in my pockets, i needed a bag to fit it all
carry only the stuff u really need
i found as a ladder guy, i always needed a utility knife, a roll of black electrical tape, and a magic rope (25' of utility rope with an ez clip on one end to be used for whatever
everything else was not needed most of the time
the leatherman is a useful tool as well but at the time i never carried one -- i would now -- it eliminates many of the tools that are cumbersome that all guys feel they need to have like channel locks and pliers and other large gadgets that just don't fit in yor pockets and if they do, if u need them, they are hard to get out
keep it simple dudes -- carry less than more
one important lesson --don't carry screwdrivers -- u can be maimed

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