# EMT B Equipment



## mcgheea08 (Aug 28, 2011)

Well my name is Randy Mcghee. I am going to begin getting my fire and emt certs in 9 months when my wife finishes her RN program. 

I was wondering if anyone can give me a list of tools/equipoment/accessories that I can pick up my self. 


Should I have my own responder backpack/bag?


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## epipusher (Aug 28, 2011)

the best thing you should buy for yourself is a good stethoscope. as far as carrying your own bag, personally not a fan due to liability.


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## llavero (Aug 29, 2011)

My equipment consists in a holster with:
- gloves
- thermometer
- tweezers
- clamps
- two scissors
- exploration lantern

In my pockets:
- a pocket mask
- a glucometer
- some gauzes
- some mini bottles of fisiological serum (5 and 10 ml)

In my belt:
- a lantern
- a multi use leatherman model wave

Excepcionaly (in my neck):
- a stethoscope

That's all.


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## llavero (Aug 29, 2011)

My equipment consists in a holster with:
- gloves
- thermometer
- tweezers
- clamps
- two scissors
- exploration lantern

In my pockets:
- a pocket mask
- a glucometer
- some gauzes
- some mini bottles of fisiological serum (5 and 10 ml)

In my belt:
- a lantern
- a multi use leatherman model wave

Excepcionaly (in my neck):
- a stethoscope

That's all.


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## MrBrown (Aug 29, 2011)

Best tool is an awesome anatomy and physiology text book


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## Chief Complaint (Aug 29, 2011)

mcgheea08 said:


> Well my name is Randy Mcghee. I am going to begin getting my fire and emt certs in 9 months when my wife finishes her RN program.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can give me a list of tools/equipoment/accessories that I can pick up my self.
> 
> ...





llavero said:


> My equipment consists in a holster with:
> - gloves
> - thermometer
> - tweezers
> ...



End well, this will not.  These threads have a habit of getting ugly.

The only piece of equipment that you should invest in is a quality stethoscope.  At least thats my advice.  You can buy pen lights and a BP cuff but those are usually provided by the service you work for.  Stethoscopes are often provided as well but i prefer to carry my own.


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## Flight-LP (Aug 29, 2011)

mcgheea08 said:


> Well my name is Randy Mcghee. I am going to begin getting my fire and emt certs in 9 months when my wife finishes her RN program.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can give me a list of tools/equipoment/accessories that I can pick up my self.
> 
> ...



Are you planning on attending San Jac's programs? If so, they will give you an equipment list, but as others have mentioned, you really only need a quality stethoscope. Everything else will be on the ambulance. No, you do not need, nor is it advised to have a personal bag. If you get employed with an agency that has first responders, you can discuss the issue then.


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## JJR512 (Aug 29, 2011)

llavero said:


> - some mini bottles of fisiological serum (5 and 10 ml)
> 
> ...
> Excepcionaly (in my neck):
> - a stethoscope


 
1. What is "fisiological serum"?

2. How do you carry a stethoscope in your neck? Doesn't that get in the way of your carotids, jugulars, trachea, etc.?


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## JPINFV (Aug 29, 2011)

JJR512 said:


> 2. How do you carry a stethoscope in your neck? Doesn't that get in the way of your carotids, jugulars, trachea, etc.?


I don't think he's a native English speaker considering that his location is in Spain.


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## dixie_flatline (Aug 29, 2011)

Yeah, I agree.  He seems to be carrying more than the communally-agreed-upon bare minimum, but I'm not going to knock his translation since my Spanish would be a lot worse (aka babelfish).

Things I've learned since my "gadget craze" phase (like the chicken pox, almost all of us get it when we're younger):

I have a nice 'scope that I love (Master Classic II).  As someone with less than perfect hearing it's saved my butt (and dignity) probably more than anything else. It can't do the job for me, but it definitely works better than the cheapo Spragues stocked on our ambos.
My second best purchase was a little belt mounted pouch for gloves.  It can keep 2 pairs on my belt, and cost me like $3.  That thing gets the hell used out of it.
I also get a lot of use out of my flashlight/torch/lantern - a little Surefire I got before the prices jumped way up. It's bright as hell, fits in just about any pocket, and has a lower setting to save on batteries.  The department provided lights consist of penlights and big unwieldy lights like this.
The trauma shears I got for $10? Stay in my department-provided fanny pack on 80%+ of calls. Still, they cut exceptionally well and I like having my own so I don't have to go looking for a set when they _are_ needed.
Only reason I got my own sphygmomanometer was for practice at home - wouldn't dream of bringing it to work. 
The only thing I have ever used my fancy Gerber knife for is the O2 wrench...


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## dstevens58 (Aug 29, 2011)

My basic instructor told us to bring a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope.  I used one of our spares in the supply closet of our agency.


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## Hunter (Aug 29, 2011)

stethoscope and books. Love my litman classic II


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## dixie_flatline (Aug 29, 2011)

JJR512 said:


> 1. What is "fisiological serum"?



I'm going to assume that "fisiological" is a misspelling of physiological.  sérum physiologique = normal saline.


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## usafmedic45 (Aug 29, 2011)

> Should I have my own responder backpack/bag?



No.

See these previous threads for explanations why:
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=24536
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=21773
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=18342
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=17911&highlight=bleeding
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=22671&highlight=personal+jump
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=20282
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=18192


Some good advice in general:
http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=23783


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## epipusher (Aug 29, 2011)

USAF, great post. These new emt's/medics that I run into or work with that carry these bags with a crazy amount of equipment in it are absolutely scary. It almost always coincides with the amount of ems/star of life stickers on their vehicles.


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## usafmedic45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks.  It's almost a stock response at this point.  I always argue the more crap they have on their car, in their bag or on their belt, the less I trust them.  Newbies, keep this in mind!


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## dixie_flatline (Aug 29, 2011)

At least like chicken pox, once you've been "cured", it doesn't often resurface.


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## JJR512 (Aug 29, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> I don't think he's a native English speaker considering that his location is in Spain.


 
Ah, a classic error in online forums, and one I've dinged others on in the past for committing. My sincerest apologies, *llavero*. -_-


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## JJR512 (Aug 29, 2011)

dixie_flatline said:


> I'm going to assume that "fisiological" is a misspelling of physiological. sérum physiologique = normal saline.


 
Ah, thanks for explaining what "physiological serum" was as well because I would have asked what that was, too. 

I have a lot of the same stuff you do...Almost the same knife, but the red version; same trauma shears; a different variant of the Surefire 6P model flashlight; and a Littmann scope (different model though). I keep gloves in one of the cargo pockets of my pants, though.


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## HMartinho (Aug 29, 2011)

In USA, you "say" normal saline. In Europe, like Portugal, we "say" soro fisiológico (physiological serum).


Here, our trauma bags, airway/ressuscitation bags and diagnostic equipment bags, are very well equipped.
Still, I use a vest with many pockets (like this:http://www.jubileu-porto.com/detalhe.asp?Grup=6&prod=101), where I have my own material, such as:

- gloves
- plastic apron (I don't know if it's the correct name)
- personal protective eyewear
- pocket mask
- My own sthetoscope
- 2 pens
- notebook
- exploration lantern
- trauma scissors
- PP face masks
- minor trauma injuries material, like bandages, gauzes etc.


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## jjesusfreak01 (Aug 29, 2011)

On myself at all times in the field:

2 pairs of gloves
Pair of trauma shears
Littmann MC2 
Small writing pad
Pen
Gerber Hinderer
Pager and Radio
iPod (with Epocrates, protocols, and drug lists)

Thats about all I need for 99% of basic assessments and care.


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## mcgheea08 (Aug 29, 2011)

*Thanks*

All this info was very helpfull. What makes that scope so bad ***?


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## Chief Complaint (Aug 29, 2011)

mcgheea08 said:


> All this info was very helpfull. What makes that scope so bad ***?



Its just a very good price point stethoscope.  Littman is the gold standard for stethoscopes and its just one of their more affordable products that is still very high quality.


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## Tigger (Aug 29, 2011)

The small legal pad is the most important thing I carry, along with a pen. I can never remember numbers so I try to write everything down. Every shift a pad gets put in my pocket, a cubby in the cab door, and the clipboard. 

We aren't allowed cargo pants and I have no desire to spend money on a large belt, so I don't carry much else. My iPhone has Epocrates and dispatch on speed dial for those questions you don't want to ask over the radio. Sometimes there might be a pair of gloves in my pocket, but there is a box on the stretcher.

If we have a call that the necessitates bringing the first in bag in, I put my shears through my belt so I can cut open the seals on the bag. And yes, the shears in the bag are in a sealed pocket. Lately I've been cutting all the seals off the bag at the start of shift... I bring my own stethoscope in too since I know it's been cleaned recently.


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## dixie_flatline (Aug 29, 2011)

mcgheea08 said:


> All this info was very helpfull. What makes that scope so bad ***?



There are a million and a half threads on stethoscopes, and twice as many opinions.  My reasons are thus:

I test as having normal/good hearing. However, too much background and I start to have trouble processing the different sounds and separating them. I find it impossible to talk to someone in a bar/club, even if they are yelling directly into my ear. I just can't un-focus the background sound out.  Talking on the phone and radio can be equally difficult for me.  The earbuds on the Littmann 'scopes are soft and mold very well into almost anyone's ears. Very comfortable, and very good at muting any other sounds.  The little $10 scope that came with my sphygmomanometer had hard, injection-molded plastic ear tips that literally cut my ears. I threw that :censored: in the trash, with malice. The scopes on the rig are of a little better quality than that, but they still don't cancel out as much noise as my Littmann, and the double tubes introduce more noise at the slightest movement or jostling.
I also like that the Master line are all single-sided units - and while that can limit the usefulness of the scope on paper (despite what the PR says), for BPs and breath sounds it does just fine; in the field you're not listening for a heart defect. I don't have to worry that the head got twisted, I don't need to tap it to make sure I'm set correctly, and I don't have to worry that I'm touching it and accidentally adding my own sound via the bell/diaphragm.
As Tigger mentioned, there is also the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly where the stethoscope has been, and when it was last cleaned, when you're jamming it in your ears.

All that being said, it is absolutely unnecessary to go out and buy a scope, especially a Littmann, right off the bat (unless maybe you have hearing issues). Like learning on an acoustic before you go electric, it's probably actually more beneficial to learn your core skills on the equipment that's there, so you're never dependent on one scope to do your job.


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## llavero (Aug 31, 2011)

JJR512 said:
			
		

> 1. What is "fisiological serum"?


I've made a grammatical error. I wanted to write "Physiological serum" (normal saline) instead of "fisiological serum".
I've also misspelled "exploration lantern" instead of "pen light". Sorry. -_-



			
				JJR512 said:
			
		

> 2. How do you carry a stethoscope in your neck? Doesn't that get in the way of your carotids, jugulars, trachea, etc.?


  That's good. When I wrote "in" really wanted to write "around". In Spanish, the prepositions are used differently than in English, so I have erred in choosing the prepositional form. 



			
				dixie flatline said:
			
		

> ...I'm not going to knock his translation since my Spanish would be a lot worse...


Well, if you have any questions with the Spanish language I offer myself to you to resolve it. :lol: (Really)


			
				dixie flatline said:
			
		

> I'm going to assume that "fisiological" is a misspelling of physiological. sérum physiologique = normal saline.


You're absolutely right . I often think in English, but writing, I do it in Spanish and then change the "ph" for "f". There are grammatical errors I make often. I have to improve the English language. I am a big :censored:



			
				JJR512 said:
			
		

> My sincerest apologies, llavero.


No matter, we all make mistakes. But in this case my grammatical error has been enormous. I am giving my head against the wall for make this mistake. :rofl:

*Note:* If I have make any grammatical error in this post... so sorry. But I am totally agree that you correct me. So I can learn more. Thanks my friends.


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## Melclin (Aug 31, 2011)

llavero said:


> My equipment consists in a holster with:
> - gloves
> - thermometer
> - tweezers
> ...



Thats heaps. I get annoyed having to carry a radio. Do you find that a vest with all that gets caught on things? Is it something that you only wear at accidents, or do you wear all of that in to see, for example, an elderly woman with abdominal pain?




mcgheea08 said:


> Well my name is Randy Mcghee. I am going to begin getting my fire and emt certs in 9 months when my wife finishes her RN program.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can give me a list of tools/equipoment/accessories that I can pick up my self.
> 
> ...



Just to add my voice to the crowd, there is no need to getting your own stuff. When students start medical school, do you think it would be necessary to go out and buy an ECG, suture kits, CT scanners etc? 

A stethoscope is a personal item, so you'll want one of those.  Better off buying some books mate. It'll help you out a bit more. Your company should provide all the gear you need but the smarts? You gotta bring  your own


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