What do you carry? - The mega thread

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Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
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I used to always make fun of people who wore duty belts...now I work at an agency where they are widely accepted and nearly standard. Not so people can have ridiculous amounts of gear on them but because we have a PPE pouch we're required to carry that has eye-pro, an N95 mask and a couple other little mandatory things so they put that on there. Our radios don't have belt clips on them so you need either a radio strap or holster and it's required to be on your person anytime you're out of the station so that goes on the duty belt. Then there's a unit cell phone that one crew member has to carry. So between the radio and PPE pouch the belt makes it easier so then people usually add a flashlight holder and their raptor or other Leatherman multi-tool and maybe a glove pouch so you don't have to open the big PPE pouch to grab gloves when you're on a call.

The other reason it makes sense for us to have a belt is at night it's easy to keep your belt on your nightstand and when we get a call just wake up, get dressed then throw your belt on and you know you have everything.

After that long winded response my list is:
PPE pouch with the above noted items inside. Second pocket on the pouch has an IV start kit plus a few various catheters, a couple flushes and syringes for med admin.
Raptor
Radio
Flashlight
Glove Pouch
Wallet
Keys
Pens...more pens...
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Now that I'm back on a ambulance my stuff has pared down.

Radio, either on a strap or my belt, depending on my mood.
A couple of pens.
Shears.
Gerber hinderer (I actually use this more than shears)
Maybe a streamlight stylus pro in my shirt pen pocket.
iPhone in my cargo pocket.

That's it.
 

MonkeyArrow

Forum Asst. Chief
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ER teching:

Leatherman raptors at 4 o'clock
Carabiner with 2 rolls of 1" tape clipped to a belt loop
Leatherman Wingman
1 Pen
1 Penlight
Moleskin notebook
1 Pair of gloves
 

jteeters

Forum Crew Member
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I carry a Raptor, an extra pair of trauma shears (the Paramedics I've worked with never carry them...so I'm going to break that cycle when I get my own truck next week), at least 3 pens because my partners steal them, a knife, and my pager. That's it. OH, and a penlight.
 

Dennhop

Forum Crew Member
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Because I'm home alone and bored, wife and kids are all on vacation, here's my random stuff to clutter up this thread:and maybe be the exception to the norm of the newbie Batman belt....
Penlight: I work nights-nuff said.
Pen and small notepad-for when the computer inevitably dies
Wallet-self explanatory
ZT knife-ive always carried knives, they just come in handy...usually cutting open boxes, occasionally as a screwdriver or prying on stuff I shouldn't be prying on with a knife...
The radio-i did buy a strap holster for it simply because for me to change zones on it when we have to call the hospitals, the clip tends to hang up on my belt, making it a pita trying to look at the screen..
I usually have two pairs of gloves in my pockets...if we're not at the truck and I need a new pair, I've got a pair.
 

Dennhop

Forum Crew Member
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Because I'm home alone and bored, wife and kids are all on vacation, here's my random stuff to clutter up this thread:and maybe be the exception to the norm of the newbie Batman belt....
Penlight: I work nights-nuff said.
Pen and small notepad-for when the computer inevitably dies
Wallet-self explanatory
ZT knife-ive always carried knives, they just come in handy...usually cutting open boxes, occasionally as a screwdriver or prying on stuff I shouldn't be prying on with a knife...
The radio-i did buy a strap holster for it simply because for me to change zones on it when we have to call the hospitals, the clip tends to hang up on my belt, making it a pita trying to look at the screen..
I usually have two pairs of gloves in my pockets...if we're not at the truck and I need a new pair, I've got a pair.

I don't like having a ton of crap on me, and anything else I do need is on the truck or in our bags.
 

Jeff2mars

Forum Probie
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When I started as an EMT, I used to wear a duty belt with a pocket resuscitation mask, gloves, examination lamp, pen and notepad
Now, 12 years after, I'm only wearing gloves, pen and notepad. Everything else is in the bags.

In my department some used to say "The quality of an EMT is inversely proportional to what he carries at his belt". Well I suppose that's not necessarily true but it stayed in my memory!
 

WolfmanHarris

Forum Asst. Chief
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The other reason it makes sense for us to have a belt is at night it's easy to keep your belt on your nightstand and when we get a call just wake up, get dressed then throw your belt on and you know you have everything.

Same reason I wear the two piece belt. When I try to shut it down at night and grab some rest it's nice to have all that stuff hanging of the truck mirror.

I carry
Belt
- Radio w/ lapel mic
- Truck smart phone
- Leatherman
- Glove pouch
- Big shears
- Small flashlight

Pant pockets
- Directive book
- Wallet

Shirt
- Pen and notepad
- Personal cell phone

Litmann cardiology
 

WolfmanHarris

Forum Asst. Chief
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In my department some used to say "The quality of an EMT is inversely proportional to what he carries at his belt". Well I suppose that's not necessarily true but it stayed in my memory!

I liked "remember where belts are concerned, there's a fine line between keener and weener."
 

CWATT

Forum Lieutenant
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1x stainless steel pen [Zebra 701] (easy cleaning)
1x spare pair gloves
1x trauma sheers [Leatherman Raptors]
1x mini flashlight [ThruNite Ti4]
1x Broslow's tape

I'm going to start carrying a click-style Sharpie.

Has anyone experienced issues with their Raptors? I had to exchange two pairs of mine; the first because of a manufacturing defect in the release button and the second because there was so much play in the blades, I wasn't able to cut through gum-boots. When we got to the ED, one of the nurses with her $5 basic sheers cut through them with ease.
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Why do you carry a broslow tape? Are you a paramedic? Is there a tape in your pedi bag?
 

CWATT

Forum Lieutenant
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Why do you carry a broslow tape? Are you a paramedic? Is there a tape in your pedi bag?

No, I'm an EMT. I got it free when I did my PALS program and figured it would be handy to have on my person and helpful in assisting the paramedic. It doens't weigh anything, so I'm not really put out by it. We don't see many pediatrics though, so I'm not sure if it's helpful or not yet.
 

CALEMT

The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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We don't see many pediatrics though, so I'm not sure if it's helpful or not yet.

Its not. If you already have one in your bags, why carry one on you? Why is a EMT taking a PALS class? Im all for expanding your knowledge but why pay money for a class that you can't really use?
 

CWATT

Forum Lieutenant
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Its not. If you already have one in your bags, why carry one on you? Why is a EMT taking a PALS class? Im all for expanding your knowledge but why pay money for a class that you can't really use?

Because I don't plan to stay an EMT. I'm working pretty hard toward the EMT-P scope and want to do as much pre-learning as possible so I can maximize my learning while I'm in school.
 

CALEMT

The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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Because I don't plan to stay an EMT. I'm working pretty hard toward the EMT-P scope and want to do as much pre-learning as possible so I can maximize my learning while I'm in school.

Take it from a current medic student, focus less on the cookie cutter classes and pay more attention to what your medic is doing on scene and why.
 

medichopeful

Flight RN/Paramedic
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Take it from a current medic student, focus less on the cookie cutter classes and pay more attention to what your medic is doing on scene and why.

The more I research the science and reasoning behind some of these cookie cutter classes, the more I realize they're killing patients.

I'm looking at you, ACLS.
 

Alc

Forum Ride Along
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Well this could be long, but I carry a bag with numerous things. I use the bag for assessment and for critical transfers. But here goes, pens, sharpies, highlighters, notepads, reference material (vents,drugs,labs,phone #,etc), tape, carabiners(for hanging multiple medication bags), med add stickers, color coded stickers(for color coding med bags to ports), shears, knife,leatherman,temporal thermometer, bp cuff,stethoscope,ppe mask,Vicks,hand sanitizer,wipes,Kleenex,narc keys,handcuff key,O2 wrench,elevator key,thumb drive,emesis bags, gallon ziplock(for pt meds),red bag,Glucometer,alcohol preps,nail polish preps,O2sensors(pedi,infant) spare peep valve,ETCO2 sensor,Ext set,rain poncho(.99cent),rescue blanket,hiviz vest,safety glasses,window punch,couple of dial a flows,kids stickers,child bp cuff,aspirin,glucose gel,lighter,headlight,penlight,gloves,Kevlar gloves,small first aid pouch,calipers,ruler,and prolly a lot more I'm forgetting
 

SBCOcowboyEMT

Forum Probie
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Leatherman and flashlight in left cargo pocket , raptor shears on belt , 2 pens, penlight , wallet , cell phone, ambulance/station keys.
 
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