Duty belt
- Thread starter EMTJosh9
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NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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See what the other guys carry. And then borrow their stuff when you're on a call.
Shears, a pen and radio are all you really need.
Shears, a pen and radio are all you really need.
nick Joseph
Forum Crew Member
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Do you think the FTO who is also the medic in our company , will have me using the radio / holding it so I can get used to radioing in to dispatch when we get a call or do you think he's going to want to since im new?
Why don't you try asking your FTO what they expect you to do. Each FTO will do things differently, they know you are new and will show you how to do things and make sure you understand before making you do something. I doubt they will expect you to do everything and know everything on day one. When I was an FTO at a different place than now I started the new people with showing them where everything is in the ambulance, getting them familierized with how we start a shift, and what we get for paperwork. After day one then I started with radio operations, and other patient care aspects related to the provider level that I would be training.
medichopeful
Flight RN/Paramedic
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I used one for a short while way back when I was just starting EMS, never used one since. We're not police officers (no disrespect to them, they do a hell of a job), and we don't need to carry a bunch of junk on our belts. Get a riggers belt or whatever they're called, and use one of those. Holds everything you need: radio, flashlight (if you carry one), and trauma shears (keep them tucked into my back belt loop). Anything over that is overkill (with the possible exception of a multi-tool).
Hey, Stupid question here but do you carry a flashlight ? I'm just wondering when you would use it really .. I've never seen anyone need to use a flashlight , would it be fore like MVA's where its kinda dark? or in what type of situations would you use it mainly ? Dark obviously .. but usually FOR ME anyways , it's not dark 98% of the time
Jim37F
Forum Deputy Chief
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The only time I found myself wishing for a flashlight on scene was a TC (Traffic Collision) in the dark, and then I was wishing for a helmet mounted light (here we wear our blue EMS helmets and brush coats w/ high vis vest on every TC regardless of time of day or location, and are now required to wear the yellow brush pants w/ reflective stripes on all freeway calls also regardless of time of day...squirrel!!). Our older ambulances have Maglights with built in chargers in the cabs, while the newer rigs only have a smaller hand held flashlight, but since neither are angled (so I can't just clip it to my shirt/jacket) they pull a hand away from patient assessment/treatment and thus never really used either handheld flashlights on scene (that's where the firefighters come in handy lol). So short of a decent helmet mounted light I've never missed having a light on my belt. Personally I only really carry a multitool on my belt (a habit I picked up in the Army, I also wear it in civies lol). At work I do wear a small little glove pouch that I've shoved my penlight and an emesis bag into, and even that's overkill (though having an emesis bag immediately handy has paid off multiple times lol). Beyond that, every other piece of equipment, from shears to bandaids is carried in our first in bag and is on scene anyway, I've never felt any need whatsoever to have any of that stuff on my person. Why on earth do I need half my equipment pulling my pants down when I'm at the store or in station? All that stuff comes in on scene with our bags anyway.
Bullets
Forum Knucklehead
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What he said. I just wear a stiff web trouser belt with a glove pouch, a leatherman wave. Radio goes in a radio strap, only flashlight i have is a penlight, also keep work gloves i my cargo pocket
Used to wear a duty belt, but it is unnecessarily bulky
medichopeful
Flight RN/Paramedic
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The only stupid question is the one not asked!* I don't carry a flashlight. Where I work, anytime there's a need for a flashlight (911 calls), police or fire are there too. When I used to work campus EMS, I used to carry one because we'd be outside on the green a fair amount, but now working urban EMS I don't. I do, however, carry a small keychain flashlight on my ID lanyard for checking pupils. Flashlights are useful in dimly lit building, outside when looking for stuff or examining the patient quickly, and anything else you can think of, but I don't work overnights that often so the benefit of carrying one just isn't there!
*Alright, we can all admit that's not true.
This doesn't count as a stupid question though Josh!DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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I carry a very small light that has 3 settings (one of which is a pupil exam setting). I have a LED Maglite in my backpack that I will grab if needed and then I also have a light mounted on my helmet for TCs.
COmedic17
Forum Asst. Chief
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I wear a belt to keep my pants from falling off. But that's really the only purpose my belt serves.
I have shears, penlight, pens, stethoscope, and a small flashlight in my pockets. Only thing on my belt is a radio if I'm on a call. If I'm at the station, the radio is on the table next to me.
I have shears, penlight, pens, stethoscope, and a small flashlight in my pockets. Only thing on my belt is a radio if I'm on a call. If I'm at the station, the radio is on the table next to me.
nick Joseph
Forum Crew Member
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Yeah I'd do the same, but we dony wear bdu pants so not that many pockets
I think a lot comes down to personal preference. Where I'm at - its a mixed bag, with about 60% of the staff using duty belts and the remainder using regular leather belts. I personally wear a duty belt that has a glove pouch, my radio, (small) flashlight, phone, and occasionally a pair of shears.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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depending on where I work, I either wear a duty belt or just a regular leather belt. If I am anticipating a busy day (where we run all day and don't make it back to station, typically in an urban area only), I might throw on my duty belt.
On it I have my radio swivel holster, glove pouch, trauma sheers, leather gloves, and a flashlight holder.
but if I don't wear it (which is more common lately), I just use my radio strap, and put everything that is usually on it in my BDU pockets (the belt was purchased while I was at an agency that only permitted regular 4 pocket ****ies pants to be worn)
On it I have my radio swivel holster, glove pouch, trauma sheers, leather gloves, and a flashlight holder.
but if I don't wear it (which is more common lately), I just use my radio strap, and put everything that is usually on it in my BDU pockets (the belt was purchased while I was at an agency that only permitted regular 4 pocket ****ies pants to be worn)
medicaltransient
Forum Lieutenant
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A wu wu pouch is useful for stealing supplies for your wu wu bag in your car. Thats what i hear.
AtlasFlyer
Forum Captain
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My belt holds up my pants.
In my pockets I keep my utility knife, my shears, a pen, flashlight, and my wallet & phone. That's it. All the gear I need is in the bags we carry, I don't need to have that stuff hanging off of me.
In my pockets I keep my utility knife, my shears, a pen, flashlight, and my wallet & phone. That's it. All the gear I need is in the bags we carry, I don't need to have that stuff hanging off of me.
NPO
Forum Deputy Chief
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I work 24s and another EMT has a duty belt with all kinds of stuff on it (not that I care). I asked him why he has it on a separate belt. The logic was brilliant.
So he doesn't have to keep all the crap on when at the station. Just take off the duty belt at station, then back on for a call. Genius.
I'll be getting one.
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If you have so much stuff on your person that you can't comfortably sit down, you don't need a belt. You need lose most of the stuff you carry.
Personally I think they look absurd and are the tools of EMS "providers" that wish they could be cops and want a more imposing look. My opinion only of course.
Personally I think they look absurd and are the tools of EMS "providers" that wish they could be cops and want a more imposing look. My opinion only of course.
Houstonemt
Forum Ride Along
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Ive caried a flashlight with me since i started. Its very useful in cramped apartments, lighting up house numbers when on scene, inside wrecked vehicles to look for victims and ive been to quite a few poorly lit trailer parks where you want as much visibility as possible.
NPO
Forum Deputy Chief
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I carry a flashlight. A Stream light Stinger. It's great. We have chargers for them in the truck so when it gets low I put it in there for a few hours.
I have a flashlight holder for my belt. My flashlight is one of my best investments. I work nights in a rural forrested area with low/fixed income families. The homes are often dark and street lights aren't a thing out here. I use it nearly every day on duty.
I have a flashlight holder for my belt. My flashlight is one of my best investments. I work nights in a rural forrested area with low/fixed income families. The homes are often dark and street lights aren't a thing out here. I use it nearly every day on duty.