What do you carry? - The mega thread

chaz90

Community Leader
Community Leader
2,735
1,272
113
Well here goes...

Belt:
Key Clip
Radio Holster
Leather man

Shirt Pockets:
Notepad
Sharpie
Pens
Company ID
Penlight
EKG Calipers
Alcohol Preps and Bandaids

Pants Pockets:
Cell Phone
Portable SPO2
Rescue Knife
CAT Tourniquet
Lighter
Nail Clips
Utility Knife
Bloodkit for each local hospital(specific tubes)
2ea 16g, 18g, 20g, flushes
Wallet
Exam Gloves
5.11 Gloves

The purpose for so much is some of my partners don't have a clue where things are in the ambulance. That and things tend to walk off of the ambulance.
3d6d07a96a52152fbd3f346855b69d24.jpg


Fanny pack FTW!
 

sirguinness

Forum Probie
13
0
1
Wait... Is that a serious list?...

Yup. There are some rotations where I only touch my cell phone and some rotations where I am emptying my pockets on a nightly basis.

Its much easier to start an IV when I can reach into one pocket for everything instead of going into two different bags and three pockets or two different cabinets for the same stuff.
 

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
11,268
3,450
113
Well here goes...

Belt:
Key Clip
Radio Holster
Leather man

Shirt Pockets:
Notepad
Sharpie
Pens
Company ID
Penlight
EKG Calipers
Alcohol Preps and Bandaids

Pants Pockets:
Cell Phone
Portable SPO2
Rescue Knife
CAT Tourniquet
Lighter
Nail Clips
Utility Knife
Bloodkit for each local hospital(specific tubes)
2ea 16g, 18g, 20g, flushes
Wallet
Exam Gloves
5.11 Gloves

The purpose for so much is some of my partners don't have a clue where things are in the ambulance. That and things tend to walk off of the ambulance.
Based off of that list I'm going to take a stab and say you are a fairly new EMT/Medic?
 

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
11,268
3,450
113
How often are you using a CAT that would make you carry it in your pocket?
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
1,300
686
113
Well here goes...

Belt:
Key Clip
Radio Holster
Leather man

Shirt Pockets:
Notepad
Sharpie
Pens
Company ID
Penlight
EKG Calipers
Alcohol Preps and Bandaids

Pants Pockets:
Cell Phone
Portable SPO2
Rescue Knife
CAT Tourniquet
Lighter
Nail Clips
Utility Knife
Bloodkit for each local hospital(specific tubes)
2ea 16g, 18g, 20g, flushes
Wallet
Exam Gloves
5.11 Gloves

The purpose for so much is some of my partners don't have a clue where things are in the ambulance. That and things tend to walk off of the ambulance.


Sounds like a doomsday prepper.
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
1,300
686
113
Well here goes...

Belt:
Key Clip
Radio Holster
Leather man

Shirt Pockets:
Notepad
Sharpie
Pens
Company ID
Penlight
EKG Calipers
Alcohol Preps and Bandaids

Pants Pockets:
Cell Phone
Portable SPO2
Rescue Knife
CAT Tourniquet
Lighter
Nail Clips
Utility Knife
Bloodkit for each local hospital(specific tubes)
2ea 16g, 18g, 20g, flushes
Wallet
Exam Gloves
5.11 Gloves

The purpose for so much is some of my partners don't have a clue where things are in the ambulance. That and things tend to walk off of the ambulance.


Sounds like a doomsday prepper.
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
9,736
1,173
113
Wait... Is that a serious list?...

Beat me to it.

Why not teach your partners where the things are on the unit?

I have to ask...how much do your pants weigh?
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
9,736
1,173
113
Your agency needs serious help if you can't leave your equipment in your bag and expect it to be there the next day.

Here messing with another medics bag to make in non-complaint/not response ready can result in termination. We all get suitcase locks provided by my agency to lock our bags but no one uses them.

I have to ask...why the calipers?
 

sirguinness

Forum Probie
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0
1
Your agency needs serious help if you can't leave your equipment in your bag and expect it to be there the next day.

Here messing with another medics bag to make in non-complaint/not response ready can result in termination. We all get suitcase locks provided by my agency to lock our bags but no one uses them.

I have to ask...why the calipers?
They leave the company issued equipment alone. But god forbid you leave or forget something on a truck. Labelling it with your name doesn't matter.

The calipers are a holdover from my paramedic instructor. He was heavy on cardiology and intervals and all of that. Its more of a good luck piece than anything.
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
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Wait so you purchase that equipment yourself for use at work?

I'm down with good luck charms, I've got a dime that stays with me everywhere I go for my late grandfather.
 

sirguinness

Forum Probie
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The only things I bought were the CAT and pulse ox. But scopes, jackets, electronics, and stock all go walking.
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
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What do you mean by "scopes, jackets and stock"? It's common sense to not leave your stethoscope in a rig, same with the jacket. The "stock" is what I'm not understanding.
I'd never leave my jacket in a truck...with that said our jackets are numbered and company issued so it wouldn't be hard to figure out if it were mine or not if it did a handstand and walked away. I have assigned bags and an assigned unit but I'd never leave my scope in either. My mommy bought me it for graduation, don't wanna lose my master cardio ;)

Why are you spending your own money on things your company should be providing? Do they not provide TQs? If they do, are they the CAT? If they aren't is the CAT approved for use by your agency?

I'd be lynched for buying a CAT and using it on a patient rather than using a company supplied SWAT-T. The CAT is approved for our TEMS team but not for field use per our SOPs.

Why does your company not provide a pulse oximeter? You're a medic right? Does your monitor not have pulse oximetry? If not are you allowed to use a personal device which tend to fail and require semi-frequent calibrations that your agency has no control over since it's your personal device? From a legal standpoint that could turn around a bite you if, god forbid, something went sideways on you.

I'm not trying to be a **** but at some agencies what you're doing could have some severe consequence. Reason being they cannot control the maintenance or calibration of said equipment and they don't want to be held liable for poor upkeep of equipment that may result in erroneous treatment of a patient which they could be held liable for as well as yourself if it came out that you were using equipment not supplied and/or approved by your agency.

Like I said I'm not trying to pick on you but I'd hate for you to face disciplinary action for something like this if it was never explained to you properly.

Maybe I'm just spoiled despite how much I complain.
 
Last edited:

MrJones

Iconoclast
652
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For whatever reason, one of our medics likes to carry his own bag along with the company-supplied (and provisioned) bag. We recently went through a state inspection, and since his bag was on the truck it was fair game to be inspected. The only gig we received was due to the out-of-date and non-standard items in his personal bag.

Oops.
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
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For whatever reason, one of our medics likes to carry his own bag along with the company-supplied (and provisioned) bag. We recently went through a state inspection, and since his bag was on the truck it was fair game to be inspected. The only gig we received was due to the out-of-date and non-standard items in his personal bag.

Oops.

Perfect example right here.
 

sirguinness

Forum Probie
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Torniquets are in our protocol yet we are not supplied any. If I ever have a patient that requires one I'd rather not have to shop around for someone's belt. If it buys me a write-up, whatever. The pulse oximeter is not my end all be all either. I understand how unreliable the finger ones are and I use it during NFL games when were are BLS and are not supplied one. Besides, as SBK recently blogged, how did we survive without pulse oximeters? If my patient says 98% but looks 82% then I will treat the patient, not the machine

I don't make a habit about leaving my stuff on a truck but it would be nice if forgotten items weren't pilfered. Within the last week my scope and jacket walked (in a hurry to leave)and no one knew nothing about anything.

Stock is a reference to company supplied equipment. Its not unusual to be sitting at a hospital or the base and have your truck rifled through for supplies by other crews. We have a supply chain problem and are always running short. And if you think locking the trucks would deter that, find me more than ten trucks where all the door locks work and have keys that will actually open them.
 
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