Star of Life / EMS clothing when off duty... Tacky or just being proud?

I think there's a big difference between being proud of what you do and being obnoxious about it or tacky. If every so often you wear a shirt that says something like "University of ____ School of Nursing" or "___FD," it's not a big deal. Or occasionally wearing your uniform when going shopping without covering it up as a matter of pride (granted, this is if you're working before or after shopping. Just changing into your uniform to go shopping would be a bit off :P:rofl:)

The problem, as I see it, is when you literally wear a shirt with a patch or some other EMS sign every time you go out. Or if you only wear EMT pants. Or if you have your scanner on 24/7. Or if every one of your stories starts out with "so there I was intubating a half-dead baby in a ditch." Or if you wear one of those shirts that says something ultra-heroic-but-entirely-ridiculous like "Paramedics: Doing the Same Crap as Doctors just at 90MPH."
 
Many years ago, I was shopping with the gf (well, she was shopping at Macys I was trying not to hang myself from boredom), and saw a guy in NJ wearing an FDNY hat and job shirt. I'm pretty sure he was actually a FDNY FF, since he did have his ladder company embroidered on the shirt and hat. Most of the buff shirts are generic without the companies.

As for the original questions, I wear agency t-shirts all the time, especially at the gym. I have also worn generic EMT t-shirts (with the left chest only, no two sided) just because I'm bored and running around town.

and I have purchased some wacker shirts.... some cute, some that made me laugh. I have seen some funny ones on FB as well. and I think I even own 2 FDNY shirts that I have had for the better part of 10 years (I really should get rid of those, they silk screening is really looking raggedt)

I'm a 100% career professional provider. and as I have said before, I really don't care what my coworkers think of me. I'm really surprised NYMedic828 doesn't think the same.
 
DrParasite said:
I'm a 100% career professional provider. and as I have said before, I really don't care what my coworkers think of me. I'm really surprised NYMedic828 doesn't think the same.
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I think it makes your service and profession to look like a joke to wear something like this

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Sorry but it just makes people look like a loser.

Company/department shirts and jackets no problem whatsoever. I wear them too.


Why does it surprise you I don't think the same? Historically we disagree on just about everything...
 
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albertaEMS said:
True, but I've run into many a doctor in non-medical settings that make damn sure you know they're "DR. Smith", not "Mr. Smith".
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Yea... and there's a reason why physicians have a reputation as being stuck up pricks. ...but go ahead, because the same thing that gave physicians the reputation as being stuck up pricks (look at me... respect my authority) won't apply to EMS... right?
 
leoemt said:
The fire service seems hell bent on creating shirts like this. I am sure you have seen the type - "I fight what you fear" "I walk wear the devil fears to tread" etc.
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Clowns and circuses?
 
NYMedic828 said:
You can get a bachelors in most subjects by sleeping in half your classes.
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You can get a medical degree at plenty of schools by not stepping into a lecture hall outside of taking exams.

Of course medical schools are often set up for home study (audio video taped lectures) and it's a fallacy to compare the average med student to the average undergrad when it comes to study skills, drive, and self awareness on what works.
 
NYMedic828 said:
I think it makes your service and profession to look like a joke to wear something like this

during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_a_paramedic_shirt-r4fd3df71176745fcbc93bfaa03b4aa0f_vjfe7_216.jpg


Sorry but it just makes people look like a loser.
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sure, but it's apparently not limited to paramedics......
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NYMedic828 said:
Why does it surprise you I don't think the same? Historically we disagree on just about everything...
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I believe you were the one who said all your coworkers were losers, and you don't want to interact with them. So why would you care if they made fun of you for wearing anything?
 
DrParasite said:
sure, but it's apparently not limited to paramedics......
during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_a_lab_tech_tshirts-r8e4a4cb25db14c41add7714f9295ea3f_f0ckt_216.jpg
during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_a_test_pilot_tshirt-p235340681558913094vhhy0_328.jpg
during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_purchasing_analyst_tshirt-p235858011689606009yx4v_328.jpg
during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_a_geologist_tshirt-p235217364337166271ykgc_328.jpg
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during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_mechanical_engineer_tshirt-rb56a84e1b94d4ded9c714e019334ca26_8nhm8_512.jpg
during_the_day_i_dress_up_like_a_medical_student_tshirt-rb0fb5e2fc64d49cd8112554ae37ea742_8nhmi_512.jpg
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I believe you were the one who said all your coworkers were losers, and you don't want to interact with them. So why would you care if they made fun of you for wearing anything?
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Guess that shirt was a poor choice for an example, but you are arguing with me for the sole purpose of arguing as you do with almost everyone on this forum. The name suits you. But, I will humor you.

I don't believe I ever stated that ALL of my co-workers are losers. I've stated as to the incompetence of many of them multiple times. Former co-workers.

And I don't care, but I respect myself enough not to wear something I personally feel to be obnoxious. I don't like when other people wear them why would I wear them myself?
 
I only have an emt belt buckle. My gf thinks its tacky as hell. :lol:
 
I have a couple of T-shirts and job shirts that say "EMT" and/or "Paramedic" on the front and back, with the star of life on the front. Needless to say, I don't wear it around town, shopping, whatever. I wear it like a uniform: if I'm going to work, coming home from work, or at work. At my current job, I do not wear my uniform out in public, off the clock, unless I absolutely have to. While I have great pride in what I do, it is not what I am, therefore I do not need to show off what I do for a living.

There have been some occasions where I have put on an EMT or Paramedic job shirt simply because it was the only thing I had handy that was clean and warm at the time, but that is clearly the exception, not the norm.
 
I wear my fleece zip up work jacket as my everyday jacket. It has the name of the company and a star of life on the upper breast area.

And our company bought us hoodies for Christmas that have a huge star of life and says property of "insert company here". I sleep and lounge in it. Wear it to school or after work.

I also have a shirt with EMT across the back that I wear to bed, gym, or maybe to the store If I am in scrub mode.

One or two shirts/hoodies aren't horrible. I wouldn't wear them Everywhere though.
 
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I have a shirt from my medic school that says Paramedic under the school name, leftover from when I was in class. Other than that I have a shirt from the hospital system I work for that has the system name and a picture of one of our ambulances and helicopters on it.

Other than that, I don't really wear anything EMS-y.
 
I don't wear uniforms off the clock much. Just to/from, and I usually camoflauge it best I can w/ a coat or the like.

I've got a whole stack of station and company shirts. I'll wear them at the FD, at work under my work shirt, or occasionally out and about. I don't wear them to bars or the like.


I've got an obscene number of job shirts. Several of which are long retired from 'duty'. I'll wear them when on call for the school, or camping and the like. There's nothing quite like a well-worn job shirt.
 
OP, your friend is jealous. Buy her/him one too.

I'd be slightly ashamed about a couple things I used to wear off duty as a new firefighter, but since it was the Seventies, everything else was extreme and no one noticed.
 
Jon said:
I don't wear uniforms off the clock much.
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I think the OP is asking about non-uniform EMS attire... I never wear uniform attire off the clock; then again, all my uniform shirts have collars, and I will live in a comfy t-shirt.
Jon said:
I don't wear them to bars or the like.
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Me neither. any EMS or FD attire doesn't get worn in a liquor store or in a bar (including non-uniform identifying shirts). no uniform attire ever gets worn inside a bar (including jackets and job shirts).
 
Tacky and loserish.

It's mainly volunteers and those new to EMS that want everyone to identify them as an EMS worker.

You are not your job.

Once you do this for a few years, the last thing you want to do off duty is be identified as an EMT/ Medic etc. I value my time off and like to forget about work as much as I can
 
 
Jon said:
I don't wear uniforms off the clock much. Just to/from, and I usually camoflauge it best I can w/ a coat or the like.

I've got a whole stack of station and company shirts. I'll wear them at the FD, at work under my work shirt, or occasionally out and about. I don't wear them to bars or the like.


I've got an obscene number of job shirts. Several of which are long retired from 'duty'. I'll wear them when on call for the school, or camping and the like. There's nothing quite like a well-worn job shirt.
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A friend was helping me declutter and organize. She was aghast at the number of job shirts I have. I got a "new" one today. It's already broken in and has canvas instead of denim patches and collar.

I work really hard to wear girl clothes when I'm off duty. And I always avoid shirts with words.
 
 
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