Tuesday, November 1, 2011

What's in your pockets?

One topic that often comes up between firefighters is "what's in your pockets?". I personally enjoy those conversations, as I learn from the experiences of others.

Over the years, what I have carried has changed. I will periodically go through my set-up (aside from daily checks at shift change) and evaluate what I carry vs. what I use vs. what I need that I don't carry, and change things up. So, what's in my pockets?

From the top down:

On my lid:
I keep a few 16# nails tucked inside my helmet band, and my FD Passport tag. That's about it.

In my coat:
Left front pocket: A pair of 7/8" cable cutters. They were put there with the intended purpose of self rescue, if I were to get caught up in wires, etc. I have used them plenty at car wrecks to cut the battery cables. They are quite inexpensive, and actually quite rugged.

Right front pocket: A pair of safety glasses.

Left lower pocket: CPR mask in a case - if I make a grab, and they need mouth-to-mouth, it'll be mouth-to-mask-to-mouth.

Right lower pocket: A 10 ft (+/-) roll of webbing and a carabiner. Comes in handy, with a million potential uses.

In my pants:
All I keep in my turnout pants pockets is my fire gloves.

Truckie Belt:
A few sprinkler wedges, a TFT Res-Q-Rench, a six-in-one screw driver (two large and two small phillips and flat head tips, plus a 1/4" & 3/8" nut drivers), a four foot piece of webbing (not looped, but does have looped handles), a vice-grip, and a pair of channel locks with modified tips for use with the through-the-lock techniques of entry.

Ok, so that's what I have. So, what's in YOUR pockets?

No comments:

Post a Comment