# Radio Straps



## WuLabsWuTecH (Feb 10, 2013)

Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap.  One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks.   I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of.  Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!


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## rwik123 (Feb 10, 2013)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap.  One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks.   I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of.  Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!



I do. So does most of the EMS in my area and all the fire. Its mostly a fire thing I'd day. Its handy for listening to radio traffic and communications without taking it off your belt. More secure than just having a speaker mic clipped to you. The sway bar is key with them, or else they'll swing out in front of you when you kneel to make patient contact.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 10, 2013)

Almost everyone here uses a radio strap. All of the medics at my service wear flight suits, so it's either a batbelt or strap to carry your radio and pagers. (Yeah. Pagers. As in 2) Most wear a strap because its quick to take off and sling on a hook at the station. 

All of the ems/fire guys wear a strap. Easier with the turnouts.


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## DesertMedic66 (Feb 10, 2013)

I've only seen one of our supervisors wearing them. With the fire department it is hit and miss on if they are wearing it or not.


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## Christopher (Feb 11, 2013)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap.  One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks.   I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of.  Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!



If I don't have a swivel adapter, I prefer a radio strap. Radio straps are also easier when donning turnout gear for rescue ops. It also places my mic in an area which will be protected in IDLH environments. Lastly, I can very easily adjust the radio on the strap for comfort as compared to the belt clip.

That being said, I'm tainted by 3 years in the fire side of things where radio straps are commonplace.


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## 111111111111111101 (Feb 11, 2013)

haha Chicks dig radio straps. problem solved.


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## med51fl (Feb 11, 2013)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap.  One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks.   I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of.  Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!



It is the opposite here, the "belt wearers" are the dorky ones.  Of course we are fire based and the strap is very handy for going over turnouts.


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## Bullets (Feb 11, 2013)

I wear one, and many EMTs around here do. Being still mostly volunteer its easier to throw your radio strap on over whatever you may be wearing and you may not have a belt. I currently wear a black one with reflective tape, giving me extra visibility across my back. I am thinking about getting a natural leather one soon

At work we are in station, so when we get pack i can hang my radio on a hook and dont have to lay on it when kicking back on the couch. We also provide rescue services so it is easier to wear over your turnouts for extrication, or over your swim trunks while doing an ocean rescue. Hand mikes dont come unclipped from the radio strap, while i see cops with their mics swinging all the time. 

Also, can be used as an impromptu tourniquet


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## Christopher (Feb 11, 2013)

Bullets said:


> We also provide rescue services so it is easier to wear over your turnouts for extrication...



Two things to keep in mind when wearing a radio strap over turnout/bunker gear:
1. It represents an entanglement hazard
2. Your Radio and the lapel mic are not rated for protection from high thermals

So, you should get into the habit of placing the radio strap under your turnout/bunker gear whenever operating in an IDLH environment.


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## Brandon O (Feb 11, 2013)

I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.


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## Bullets (Feb 11, 2013)

Christopher said:


> Two things to keep in mind when wearing a radio strap over turnout/bunker gear:
> 1. It represents an entanglement hazard
> 2. Your Radio and the lapel mic are not rated for protection from high thermals
> 
> So, you should get into the habit of placing the radio strap under your turnout/bunker gear whenever operating in an IDLH environment.



We dont do fire suppression, only rescue services. Confined space, EBS, Water, Vehicle, Ropes. In most cases we wear turnouts only when it is the summer and we are wearing shorts, otherwise we are wearing long sleeves and pants, so rescue calls just add gloves and a helmet to do the work, and the radio strap goes over. 

This doesnt include water rescues, where we are in wetsuits and dry suits

My new strap has a QRB on the back, so if i do get entangled all i have to do is hit the buckle and the whole thing falls away


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## CFal (Feb 11, 2013)

Brandon Oto said:


> I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.









like this?


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## Brandon O (Feb 11, 2013)

CFal said:


> like this?



Yeah, I guess, maybe with a cant. Like that dude from Trauma had  . Sometimes I clip my radio into the neck of my shirt/sweater; it's convenient and doesn't get in the way when seated, but it does quickly align with gravity and the antenna ends up in my chin...


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## WolfmanHarris (Feb 11, 2013)

Here we're issued swivel clips for our belt and a mic clip for epaulettes and everyone pretty much wears them. The only variance is whether you clip to an outer belt or not. 

I did see one guy use a radio strap awhile back and I've toyed with using one on night shifts for easier on off when a call comes in. I just see it getting in the way more than my Velcro duty belt.


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## EpiEMS (Feb 11, 2013)

Brandon Oto said:


> I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.



And the most sensible, too. 

I'm not a bat-belt or strap kinda guy, anyway. But a chest rig makes sense to me. Much easier to keep aware of where it is and all that.


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## Bullets (Feb 12, 2013)

Brandon Oto said:


> Yeah, I guess, maybe with a cant. Like that dude from Trauma had  . Sometimes I clip my radio into the neck of my shirt/sweater; it's convenient and doesn't get in the way when seated, but it does quickly align with gravity and the antenna ends up in my chin...



I use a chest rig when we operate at large scale incidents. We operate a 6x6 Polaris
http://asap911.com/medstat/
and it get loud inside there so we are issued headsets with boom mics. Things like these multiday music festivals, NFL games, ect. I made my own with an admin pouch and a radio pouch on a chest rig from The Ops Deck (.com)


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## adamNYC (Sep 11, 2014)

Btw most FDNY EMS I've seen all wear radio shoulder straps. How does it compaer to it mounted on the belt? I always thought the main reason was getting in and out of a vehicle the strap can be slung forward so you don't end up sitting on the radio or the radio causing you discomfort while sitting with it on the side somehow.


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## Tigger (Sep 11, 2014)

I had one at a previous job (mandatory that the radio lived in it) and while it helped me "camouflage" with the cool firefighters, it was a pain to sit with. I clip my portable to my side pockets and it never gets in the way.


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## MrJones (Sep 12, 2014)

Chest rigs are pretty much the standard for SAR opns. I'll add that I choose the equipment I use/wear (and that is not mandated by my employer) based on whether it serves the purpose for which it's intended, and given the range of options available for carrying radios I refuse to voluntarily wear a radio strap rig - they scream Ricky Rescue to me, especially when worn with civies.


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## chaz90 (Sep 12, 2014)

I transitioned to using a radio strap since our radios don't have clips to go on pants/belts and there's really no place to put them on our jumpsuits. Since the radios are required to be protected in cases, the options are either belts or straps. Belts are annoying to put on and take off with the radio mic clip every time we go on a call or leave the station, so I went with a strap.


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## gronch (Sep 12, 2014)

MrJones said:


> Chest rigs are pretty much the standard for SAR opns. I'll add that I choose the equipment I use/wear (and that is not mandated by my employer) based on whether it serves the purpose for which it's intended, and given the range of options available for carrying radios I refuse to voluntarily wear a radio strap rig - they scream Ricky Rescue to me, especially when worn with civies.



Chest rig should be mandatory.  SAR figured that out already.

I also think that EMTs and Paramedics should wear tactical helmets, so take my advice with a grain of salt.


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## adamNYC (Sep 12, 2014)

So if I'm not doing firefighting would you guys say the belt option is best? Whats an example of a radio pouch for the belt that I could get? I'd personally prefer not to use the sling if possible. And what position on the belt would be best? Thanks

http://amzn.com/B0019MM1NC


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## Handsome Robb (Sep 14, 2014)

I wore a chest rig as ski patroller.

Otherwise I wear it on my belt.


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## DrParasite (Sep 18, 2014)

If I don't have a remote speaker mic, I prefer a swivel holster on my hip (which usually gets taken off when I get into the ambulance).

If I have a remote speaker mic, I prefer the radio strap.  my least favorite is the radio clipped to my belt with the mic attached to my shirt.

Not sure what the chest rig thing you are talking about, but it looks annoying to take off and putback on quickly.


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## yowzer (Sep 18, 2014)

I use a chest pack for SAR, or, if I'm driving instead of on foot, a underarm sholder holster style harness. Never hear the end of it if I tried using that at one of my normal jobs, though... radio clipped to belt is expected, even though that's a pain in the rear.


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## DesertMedic66 (Sep 18, 2014)

We have some firefighters who wear them but not many at all. As far on the ambulance I have not seen anyone wear the straps. All of our radios have the belt clip and we have a couple of people who bought a mic that clips on their uniform.


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## ZombieEMT (Sep 19, 2014)

I think the OP makes the radio strap like a whacker tool and its not. I feel it can be an important accessory to your uniform. Its easy to take on/off and holds it more secure then other methods. I personally do not use a radio strap, but that is because I find them uncomfortable. I have my radio in a radio holster and remote mic attached to my shirt.


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## Angel (Sep 19, 2014)

i dont think a strap is a whacker tool. just comes down to preference. at my company people use both. i have not decided but am leaning toward a strap since there will be a lot of in and out of ambulances, and i just see it getting hooked and stuck on everything if its on my hip


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## AtlasFlyer (Sep 19, 2014)

I love my radio strap. I hate wearing my radio on my belt, it feels unsecure, and is constantly in my way when I want to sit. The radio strap is easy to take on & off, clips to the back of my pants' belt loops so it doesn't flop around and I find it a LOT better than wearing the radio on my belt.  I do think its entirely a matter of personal preference though. Some people like them, some don't. If you like it, use it, if you don't, don't. No need to call others a whacker for using one.  At my agency its pretty 50/50, people who use straps and people who just clip it to their belt.


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## jwoods (Sep 30, 2014)

I personally prefer a radio strap. As said previously,  it's easier when donning turnout gear. All comes down to personal preference, but I would say the majority of the guys here wear them. They definitely do serve a functional purpose.


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