Personal Equipment?

[94H]

One of the Medics at my company has a fanny pack that he takes with him on all calls and transports. At first I thought it was overkill, but its a magical bag. It comes through in a pinch, it has everything we ever need in there (minus drugs and drip sets)

 

[DrParasite]

I have a small duffel bag that comes with me in the ambulance. It has all my personal equipment for use on the truck.

it contains:
Winter jacket
winter gloves and hat
Rescue Helmet
wacker belt with radio holster clip, flashlight, key clip, leather gloves, glove pouch, sheers, multi tool and metal oxygen key
Radio strap (FDNY style but made of webbing, not leather)
radio holster and spare clip
city skell gloves
suburban skell gloves (yes I have two pairs)
littmann scope
safety glasses
and probably some other misc items

I will say, the bag comes with me on every call, but I don't use all the stuff on my person. usually just a radio holster and scope, the rest is just there in case I need it. no first aid equipment is carried, that is all on the truck, the bag is pretty much just PPE and other personal tools

 

[TransportJockey]

WTH are Skell Gloves?

 

[WolfmanHarris]

Everyone at my service is issued a PPE bag. (Blackhawk Police Equipment bag)
All the medics keep their Cairns helmet, Hi-vis vest, work gloves, safety eyewear and N-95's in them with plenty of room to spare for other miscellaneous gear.

In my gear bag I also carry:
- Better safety eyewear (didn't like the issued ones)
- Kevlar work gloves (didn't like the issued ones)
- Tide to go pen
- Vics Vapor Rub (tiny container, just in case)
- Extra sunglasses (I always lose mine and hate driving on sunny days)
- Stethoscope (Litman cardiology, black edition, engraved; B-day gift from my wife)
- Granola bars x2
- Bottle of aleve
- Whatever book I have on the go
- Latest articles from our Journal Club
- Pens
- Extra notepad
- Lint brush
- Boot polish kit (I got as recognition following a Pt. compliment)

Beyond that I do wear a two piece duty belt as I like to leave my gear hanging from the side mirror between calls rather than wear it. I also have some stuff in my pockets:

Duty belt (issued by service)
- Holster with flashlight and shears
- Leatherman Cs multi-tool
- Radio clip (issued by service)
- glove pouch
- pouch for my iphone

Cargo pocket (during calls, dashboard between calls)
- Protocol/quick reference book (service issued)
- Drug reference book

Shirt pocket
- Notepad
- Pen
- Contact cards (service issued; contains contact info for the service and a place to right badge number, run #, date, etc. for Pt. inquiries)
- earbuds for iphone
- little clip on light (white/red) for low light reading or as a penlight

I know it seems like a lot of whacker gear but most of it sits on the dashboard of the truck or in one of the side compartments we have for crew gear on the truck. So there's very little on my person at a time. A lot of the rest is stuff I quickly learned was worth keeping around for my own comfort over the course of a shift.

Off duty I have very little. There's a small emergency kit in the car with jumper cables, foil blanket, hi-vis vest etc. that has a bit of a first aid kit (barrier device, gloves, bandages) and usually I've left my gear bag in the trunk between shifts. But that's it.

 

[JJR512]

WTH are Skell Gloves?

I second this question. I've never heard of "skell gloves".

 

[NomadicMedic]

From Wikipedia:

Skell, as a stereotypical or archetypal designation, refers to a person who is homeless, vagrant or derelict. It is often used to connote such a person who is habitually engaged in small-time criminal activity, especially by one working as a con artist or panhandler.

A pair of "skell gloves" are worn by police officers (and some EMS providers) when coming in contact with the above individuals.

I find the term distasteful, frankly.

 

[JJR512]

From Wikipedia:

Skell, as a stereotypical or archetypal designation, refers to a person who is homeless, vagrant or derelict. It is often used to connote such a person who is habitually engaged in small-time criminal activity, especially by one working as a con artist or panhandler.

A pair of "skell gloves" are worn by police officers (and some EMS providers) when coming in contact with the above individuals.

I find the term distasteful, frankly.

If that's the case, then I find it amusing that the guy who originally used the term in this thread mentioned having two pairs: one urban, one suburban. What, the homeless people in the suburbs aren't as bad as the urban homeless, so your "suburban skell gloves" don't need to be as tough/protective or something?

Anyway, now we know what the word "skell" means, but I'm still not completely clear on what, exactly, "skell gloves" are. I'm guessing they're puncture-resistant (i.e., needle-stick resistant) "frisking" gloves commonly used by police. Am I right?

 

[DrParasite]

If that's the case, then I find it amusing that the guy who originally used the term in this thread mentioned having two pairs: one urban, one suburban. What, the homeless people in the suburbs aren't as bad as the urban homeless, so your "suburban skell gloves" don't need to be as tough/protective or something?

Anyway, now we know what the word "skell" means, but I'm still not completely clear on what, exactly, "skell gloves" are. I'm guessing they're puncture-resistant (i.e., needle-stick resistant) "frisking" gloves commonly used by police. Am I right?

pretty much. I have two pairs, one that are the same as the city police (puncture resistant, cut resistant, etc), while the suburban ones are black leathers, not as protective, but still do the job. plus in the suburbs, we get PD beating us to most calls, while in the City, we are often solo.

Skell gloves can be worn on calls involving EDPs, drunks, overdoses, and assaults. You don't like this, you don't want to, that's your choice. I happen to use them, and have used them with latex glove covering them. If you don't want to, that's your choice. different places have different habits

 

[JJR512]

pretty much. I have two pairs, one that are the same as the city police (puncture resistant, cut resistant, etc), while the suburban ones are black leathers, not as protective, but still do the job. plus in the suburbs, we get PD beating us to most calls, while in the City, we are often solo.

Skell gloves can be worn on calls involving EDPs, drunks, overdoses, and assaults. You don't like this, you don't want to, that's your choice. I happen to use them, and have used them with latex glove covering them. If you don't want to, that's your choice. different places have different habits

I don't think anyone said anything against using them. Another person (not me) said they find the term distasteful, but as far as I can tell, no opinion on actually using the gloves, whatever one prefers to call them, has been expressed.

But I will give mine now: I think it's a good idea.

I don't know if I would be able to put medical gloves over a thick glove, though. I already wear XL gloves to begin with. I have seen people use medical gloves under extrication gloves, though.

Speaking of extrication/rescue gloves, would they be suitable for this purpose? Or are they too thick, or not specifically intended to protect against needle punctures, or what? I'm familiar with "frisking" gloves as a distinct product, but if extrication/rescue gloves would serve just as well, I'd prefer to not have to buy something new. The gloves I have are Ringers Barrier 1 Extrication Gloves, which meet some OSHA standard for being a barrier against bloodborne pathogens and are "cut resistant", but I don't see any specific claim about resistance to needle punctures.

 

[JJR512]

As a follow-up to my last post, I've just been looking at a few different models of gloves from Hatch intended to protect police officers during frisking. They all specifically mention that they're resistant to cuts, but none specifically mention punctures or needle-sticks.

DrParasite, just out of curiosity, what brand/model gloves are you using?

 

[NomadicMedic]

Let's be clear... I don't find the idea of puncture resistant gloves gloves distasteful. As a matter of fact, I have a pair. They come in handy when I'm treating a patient that may have needles or other sharp/pokey stuff on them. Hey, if you work in an area where this is the patient you see frequently, I think it's a prudent piece of kit.

I do find it distasteful that homeless/transients are referred to as "skells".

We're health care professionals, not actors on "Third Watch" or "NYPD Blue".

 

[usalsfyre]

pretty much. I have two pairs, one that are the same as the city police (puncture resistant, cut resistant, etc), while the suburban ones are black leathers, not as protective, but still do the job. plus in the suburbs, we get PD beating us to most calls, while in the City, we are often solo.

Skell gloves can be worn on calls involving EDPs, drunks, overdoses, and assaults. You don't like this, you don't want to, that's your choice. I happen to use them, and have used them with latex glove covering them. If you don't want to, that's your choice. different places have different habits

Why would you need them on drunks, psych call or assaults? Or really at all? I don't tend to pat people down, have had a better response from asking if they had anything I needed to know about. I guess I just don't see it...

And yes I did work a busy urban area with a large homeless population for several years....

 

[C.T.E.M.R.]

I Have to say that im glad i got my bag. I dont know how many times ive used it for family alone. For the longest time i thought to myself why did i waste the money. But being about 300 feet away from a school yard and and 150 feet behind my house is the local sports complex i know come summer my page will be going off left and right. I cant even remember how many times our rigs have been their in the last 2 years. head injuries, broken bones, etc. plus sometimes both our rigs are both out at once and when the FD shows up with their rescue, and have no clue what to do. its kinda nice to have what you need. BTW at my house we have bikes and motorcycles etc so we always manage some injury. i do have say ive known people who go overkill, but i live walking distance from most of our calls anyway. Plus we can always go to the local hospital and get our bags filled for free. i just carry the basics. ill leave the bigger stuff for the rig

 

[DrParasite]

Why would you need them on drunks, psych call or assaults? Or really at all? I don't tend to pat people down, have had a better response from asking if they had anything I needed to know about. I guess I just don't see it...

drunk and psych calls are easy. have you ever been attacked by an EDP? or encountered a severely intoxicated individual who was not in their right mind, and decided to physically refused to be cared for, and needs to be restrained since they are not AOx3, and need to go to the hospital for evaluation? oh, and in both these cases, PD was NOT on scene, and routinely PD does not beat EMS to the scene for these calls.

it's kind of like bulletproof vests for EMS when it comes to assaults. 99.999% of the time, you won't need it. in fact, I would even go so far as saying if you never ever need the vest to save your life, or kept you protected or limited injury during an attack, it still did it's job. I mean, why does PD wear them when they respond to assault calls? Remember, sometimes EMS goes on these calls too, and beats PD to calls. Even if PD is on scene of a big fight, if you got to assess someone, you want something to protect you from finding a razor blade or straight blade knife in a guys pocket, PD is dealing with the fighters. or on a stabbing victim, PD might check to make sure they don't have a gun stuck in their belt, but they have more pressing priorities than searching the victim.

And yes I did work a busy urban area with a large homeless population for several years....

you don't need to be homeless to be a skell, just like not all homeless people are skell (many are not skells, they just had a string of bad luck, and lost their homes). in fact, many do have homes, but they are just, act like :censored::censored::censored::censored:bags for one reason or another. Drug users, drunks (esp daily drunks), guys who beat their wives, people who are on medicaid and foodstamps yet have a 52 inch plasma TV on the wall and a 5 lb gold chain would also be considered skells (and others, but I could list undesirables forever).

 

[DrParasite]

As a follow-up to my last post, I've just been looking at a few different models of gloves from Hatch intended to protect police officers during frisking. They all specifically mention that they're resistant to cuts, but none specifically mention punctures or needle-sticks.

have you tried this site? Puncture resistant gloves BTW, most gloves aren't puncture proof, just resistant. in fact, bulletproof vests and stab vests will typically not stop a needle. what the gloves will do you let you know you are feeling a needle, so you can take your hand out, expose the pocket/area, and remove the item in question.

DrParasite, just out of curiosity, what brand/model gloves are you using?

I use Hatch SGK100 Street Guard with Kevlar for urban work. my suburban ones are black leathers, used more for additional grip on stairchair and reeves on carry downs than checking pockets (plus PD usually beat us to scenes and do the searches in the suburbs). I also try to avoid digging into pockets, and prefer to, umm, expose pockets using my sheers, because it's safer for me.

one thing I want to point out, skell gloves and extrication gloves are different. I think most of the commercial excitation gloves are nice, shiny, expensive, and overrated. Ringers are the leader in gloves, but I have a thick pair of leather gloves (I think from Home Depot or Sam's as a 3 for $10 special) that I use for all but rescue ops. They are thick leather, lower levels of dexterity, and are much more protective when dealing with glass and jagged metal from tool work. Lowes Impact Gloves are another type that I would look into, or any other type of gloves with built in padding from your local Lowe's or Home Depot (I think I have masonry gloves from the local hardware store with finger protection, but they are in my turnout gear so I don't know the exact brand). EMS gloves DO get worn under gloves during rescue ops, there is enough room. Plus, if you get blood/bodily fluids/car fluids on them, you have a high probability of throwing the gloves out (the other reason I don't buy expensive commercial gloves). If you are anticipating body fluids with skell gloves, EMS gloves are worn OVER them, so you maintain the protection, but add the BSI protection over the high dexterity gloves (which are fight fitting on the hands and fingers). and you can decon skelll gloves using alcohol foam or throwing them in the washing machine.

 

[usalsfyre]

drunk and psych calls are easy. have you ever been attacked by an EDP? or encountered a severely intoxicated individual who was not in their right mind, and decided to physically refused to be cared for, and needs to be restrained since they are not AOx3, and need to go to the hospital for evaluation? oh, and in both these cases, PD was NOT on scene, and routinely PD does not beat EMS to the scene for these calls.

Both, several times, and can't say that gloves would have helped. In none of these cases was I in danger of getting my hands cut. I also have found therapeutic communication does wonders, restraint is much better for everyone if it's chemical in nature and if I feel threatened, leaving the area is a good way to terminate the threat AND not considered abandonment in most places.

it's kind of like bulletproof vests for EMS when it comes to assaults. 99.999% of the time, you won't need it. in fact, I would even go so far as saying if you never ever need the vest to save your life, or kept you protected or limited injury during an attack, it still did it's job. I mean, why does PD wear them when they respond to assault calls? Remember, sometimes EMS goes on these calls too, and beats PD to calls.

WHY?!?!? Doesn't your agency have a staging policy?!?

Even if PD is on scene of a big fight, if you got to assess someone, you want something to protect you from finding a razor blade or straight blade knife in a guys pocket, PD is dealing with the fighters. or on a stabbing victim, PD might check to make sure they don't have a gun stuck in their belt, but they have more pressing priorities than searching the victim.

My serious patient get stripped and placed in a hospital gown. The clothes get placed to the side. Otherwise I don't go poking around pockets.

you don't need to be homeless to be a skell, just like not all homeless people are skell (many are not skells, they just had a string of bad luck, and lost their homes). in fact, many do have homes, but they are just, act like :censored::censored::censored::censored:bags for one reason or another. Drug users, drunks (esp daily drunks), guys who beat their wives, people who are on medicaid and foodstamps yet have a 52 inch plasma TV on the wall and a 5 lb gold chain would also be considered skells (and others, but I could list undesirables forever).

I'd be careful including all drug users and alcoholics, addiction is a legitimate medical concerns.

 

[DrParasite]

WHY?!?!? Doesn't your agency have a staging policy?!?

yes, we do. we stage on violent EDPs, penetrating trauma calls (in progress), and assaults in progress. that's it. we routinely go to calls for assault victims and PD meets them for the report at the ER. EDPs and drunks are 50/50 if we get a PD. and in the past, EMS would be transporting shooting/stabbing victims at the same time as the first arriving PD unit was getting on scene (but this was before I started at this agency).

My serious patient get stripped and placed in a hospital gown. The clothes get placed to the side. Otherwise I don't go poking around pockets.

really? as a rule, mine don't. serious traumas end up trauma naked (usually covered in a sheet, not a gown), serious medicals are exposed as little as possible unless medically needed, to respect the patient's modesty.

and no assault victim gets stripped and put in a gown on scene. you might do that, but I definitely don't.

I'd be careful including all drug users and alcoholics, addiction is a legitimate medical concerns.

addiction is a legitimate medical concern. doesn't mean addicts are going to be happy when an EMS provider keeps them from whatever they are addicted to, or kills their high.