EMT must haves in the field?

emtCourt31

emtCourt31

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So my question is what are your MUST HAVES on a shift? What can you not leave home without?


I've been told sunglasses and vicks vapor rub lol.

The reason I'm asking is because my first day on the job I forgot to bring food/snacks. We were really busy running call after call (never once made it back to the station) so for 8 hours I worked on an empty stomach. My bad.
 
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EMSLaw

Legal Beagle
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Stethoscope. Wristwatch with second hand. Pen or three. An ambulance. ;)

Snacks are always good, and something to kill time when it's not so busy - laptop, book, whatever.
 
Akulahawk

Akulahawk

EMT-P/ED RN
Community Leader
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Sunglasses. Eye protection of my own (not company supplied, usually those are scratched badly), Stethoscope (cheap steths work, but...), wristwatch, lots of pens, a brain (I'd hate to lose mine), and an open mind.

If I'm going to be working near helicopters... hearing protection too.

Snacks. Definitely snacks.
 
lightsandsirens5

lightsandsirens5

Forum Deputy Chief
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Uniform, (love getting into the shack and not having my uniform:wacko:) lots of pens, watch, steth, radio, penlight (never rely on the one in the rig), small pocket knife, neon lime vest (to avoid getting the evil eye from the supe on MVAs), that kind of stuff.

Plus my laptop and school books. And phone.

EMSLaw, I love it! "An ambulance"
 
emt_angel25

emt_angel25

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i usually hve more pens on me than anything else cause greedy hands "borrow" and never return. money (green or plastic) just in case. my cell phone with its charger and my ipod. sunglasses and my nifty stocking cap when its cold out. ;)
 
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MrBrown

Forum Deputy Chief
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I bring food/water, stethoscope, good strong boots, something to read, towel, watch, deoderant, lots of pens, sunglasses, cellphone and a belt pouch with shears, couple clamps, penlight etc etc
 
DrParasite

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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depending on where you work, leather gloves. if you work in a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty area, you know why.

if you are working nights, a flashlight is a must. daytimes it isn't as important, but if you are on the truck after 7pm, def buy a good bright flashlight that you can keep on your person.

I always bring my own scope and my own watch. and usually have several pens in my laptop bag but if you tend to be hoping, just grab the pens and leave the laptop at home. maybe a book. also, if you work in a scummy area (like I do) and your ambulances have been broken into, you want as little personal stuff to be stolen as possible.

I always bring a jacket with me, preferably dept issue, regardless of weather. rain protection or cold weather, it sucks to be standing outside of a crash in the pouring rain or on a fire scene in super cold weather. i might not always wear it, but I have it with me.

if I am doing more than a 12 hour shift, I often bring a spare pair of socks with me.

warm days, a refillable water bottle clipped to my bag. snacks are ok, but I try to stop somewhere and grab a bite to eat, even if between jobs.

the last thing that I recently added to my bag of EMS equipment is my own personal helmet. bought it on ebay for a cheap price. does everyone need to do this? no. but I wanted something that I knew was in good working order, and always had with me.
 
emt_angel25

emt_angel25

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DrParasite

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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probably was a very revealing experience...
 
emt_angel25

emt_angel25

Forum Lieutenant
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JPINFV said:
How'd that work out?
Click to expand...

surprisingly not bad. i kinda walked into the code. i was going into walmart to get beer for a party i was going to when one of our ambulances pulled up. the crew started grabbin all of our code stuff so i offered my help.

makes you very aware of how you move around during a code. but it is possible to still be "lady like" and be on the floor doing chest compressions.

i wouldnt ever want to do it again. but it can be done. just glad my skirt wasnt much shorter. although i did get beer bought for me when all was said and done ;)
 
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