What do you have in your pockets?

Chief Complaint said:
I work for the fire department and we dont wear pants with cargo pockets, so i dont like to weigh myself down with tons of stuff.

Knife, pen, notepad and contact drops. Everything else stays in one of the many bags that come in with me.
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I'm glad someone most likely shares my pain.

We have the most uncomfortable pants ever over at FDNY.
 
fast65 said:
Left side leg pocket: Stethoscope
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Glad to know I'm not the only one who puts a stethoscope there.

In my upper left pocket are my cell phone and keys (unless I need to have someone bring my car to the station). In my upper right pocket is my wallet. Right side pocket usually has a pack of chewing gum. Anything else I usually grab from the ambulance.
 
NYMedic828 said:
I'm glad someone most likely shares my pain.

We have the most uncomfortable pants ever over at FDNY.
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Shoooot, id rather be in regular pants than cargos. They look much better IMO. And if we get a fire call i dont want all kinds of stuff to be out of reach under my bunkers.
 
n7lxi said:
Have you ever used coban? :)

I also use it on diabetics when I know I'm going to pull the IV after the D50 and some fluid an I'm not going to transport.

Besides, the stuff I have is from my girlfriend's vet practice and it has little cartoon sheep or tractors on it. :) everyone likes sheep and tractors.

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I can see it now "ummm why does that tape say veterinary use only on it?"

"Oh sorry ma'am you didn't know that Vets who flunk out of vet school get to be paramedics?"
 
Damn, I feel like a wacker. I have to carry an eye chart, reflex hammer, 2 tuning forks, 2 pocket guides (one more for documentation, the other covers basic workups) and pens. My steth goes on a belt holster and I've got another belt holster for my opthalmo and ottoscopes.
 
A little notebook.
 
CritterNurse said:
Glad to know I'm not the only one who puts a stethoscope there.

In my upper left pocket are my cell phone and keys (unless I need to have someone bring my car to the station). In my upper right pocket is my wallet. Right side pocket usually has a pack of chewing gum. Anything else I usually grab from the ambulance.
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That is where my stethoscope goes.
 
Deck of cards, wifi hotspot, Ben Franklin half dollar
 
bigbaldguy said:
I can see it now "ummm why does that tape say veterinary use only on it?"

"Oh sorry ma'am you didn't know that Vets who flunk out of vet school get to be paramedics?"
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I love that stuff.

I've got a few rolls in my personal first-aid kit, and my father keeps some in his. In fact, I just had to go to a farm supply store to restock my supply since my father used the last of what I had. He was disappointed I was out of the stuff with paw-prints, so he had to use solid blue.

I don't foresee using my first aid kit for non-family members, but I suppose if I came across something serious enough, and knew it would take a long time for proper help to arrive I'd break it out. I'd be concerned about a possible latex allergy though, since it does contain latex.
 
left pocket: id holder
left cargo: pens, field guide
right pocket: cell phone, chapstick
right cargo: shears, penlight, gum, lotion
 
NYMedic828 said:
FDNY won't get us BDU pants. They claim the pockets interfere with putting on our bunker pants in the event of a dangerous scene.
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That is a load of crap, depending on what brand of pants you get. I love my spiewaks.... in fact, I wore them today, at the firehouse, and had no problem getting my bunker pants on over them when we had a call. They also happen to cost 50-60 per pair.

Other BDUs can have the bulging pockets, and I can see them causing problems.

my pants have close to 9 pockets.......

back pockets are empty... sometimes they get puncture resistant gloves in the left one, depends on my mood.

front pocket might have my knife (If I remember to grab it), or it might have a cell phone... usually if I am in a text convo with someone. otherwise.....

left cargo pocket has a zipper on the top, so cell phone goes in there. If no cell phone, and going to a potentially violent call, stethoscope goes in there, else it's around my neck or on the dash of the truck.

right cargo pocket also has a zipper, so wallet goes in there. it won't fall out if I'm horizontal since the zipper closes.

sheers are on the outside of the cargo pocket.

These pants also have exterior cargo pockets, which have a velcro cover and the flaps are sewn shut. I don't know exactly why, but because they are a pain to get into, these are empty too.

There are also two small pockets by my shins.... in the left one is my badge/ID, and in the right one is my ipod.

and if you looked at me with all the stuff in my pockets, the only thing you would be able to see is my scope because of it's size, and my sheers because they are outside.

I also have a swivel radio holster on my belt.

I love my cargo pants, hated it at my old job when we had to wear regular uniform pants and people wore bat belts
 
In my sexy polyester brown pants, i sport scissors and maybe narcotics if it is my day to carry them.

My duty belt is where all the magic happens though... Flashlight, handcuffs, pager, glove thingy and radio holder.

Up on my chest region, in addition to all my bling (badge, collar brass, name bar, commendation bar), pen, handcuff key, Sharpie, stylus, phone and little note pad in my breast pockets.

I might carry a knife at my POC fire gig if i am actually wearing a uniform since i only have to play an EMT there, not paramedic, but usually it is shorts and a t shirt since it is paid on call... Never a problem donning turnouts with cargo pants on though... We use aspen mills EMS 2 pants and they are wonderful...
 
A few pens, some gloves, something to take notes. Sometimes chewing gum...

That's about it. I don't need or want cargo pockets to be honest. I don't like having things swinging around on my legs like that.
 
I like to wear my military boots whenever on a call (can't wait till i'm back in action in september >.<), And when I used to take calls in extremely...sketchy.. areas, I would have my military spec machete in a holster, tucked into my boot. if I ever went down, it could be out in a matter of seconds, and its sharp enough to cut through bone like butter.

Other times, I'd keep my switchblade in my left front pocket, trauma scissors/regular scissors on buttons on the side, gloves in my right front pocket, and usually a flashlight in my bottom right front pocket. I wanted to convince my chief to let me put velcro on my right shoulder and the flashlight, go all alan-wake style with it.


Oh and for pediatric calls, I'd almost always walk in with a little stuffed animal, we always had something on our buses for them. It builds trust with you a lot quicker, and you can start from the head with kids if you do it.
 
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shiroun said:
...I would have my military spec machete in a holster, tucked into my boot. if I ever went down, it could be out in a matter of seconds, and its sharp enough to cut through bone like butter.
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:unsure:

A 12 in knife sticking out of your boot?
 
DPM said:
:unsure:

A 12 in knife sticking out of your boot?
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My pants would be over it. It doesnt even show or leave any imprint. The boots go up to my mid-shin. Actually a little below that.
 
shiroun said:
My pants would be over it. It doesnt even show or leave any imprint. The boots go up to my mid-shin. Actually a little below that.
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Where do you work that you feel the need to carry that around with you?
 
DPM said:
Where do you work that you feel the need to carry that around with you?
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It wasn't necessarily where, it was some of the calls. I've worked in a couple of areas, both were decent areas, that had sections of rich people, etc. Then you'd have sections of trailerparks, dilapidated buildings, etc.

I never used it, just to clarify. It was mostly for my own peace of mind, any conflicts I ever came up on, I was able to talk my walk out of, or simply walk away. It was simply more for myself then anyone else, I liked having it, and knowing if I needed to I could use it.
 
I'd be careful with packing a blade like that. I know that where I work, showing up with that on your person would earn you a written reprimand and maybe a few days off.

Lord help you if you ever displayed or made any gestures with it in a "violent" situation. Termination for sure.

I have worked in some sketchy areas and some of my districts are not very nice, but I never felt the need to carry a weapon like a machete. :)
 
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