Every office has its "go to" person for a knife, a tool or needle and thread. Part of the preparedness philosophy is that you can solve minor problems/inconveniences in a matter of moments. This tends to make you the "go to" person. I'm very hesitant to become this person. I'm still of the philosophy that it's not wise to let everyone know what I'm carrying. In a true crisis or emergency I would certainly be there to help and would not hesitate to pull out my fist aid kit. But for day-to-day needs I'm a little shy about using my SAK classic in public view. I'm just not so sure it's a wise thing to let people know how prepared you are until you need to. I’m not thinking in terms of being selfish just in terms of not having your emergency gear when you need it. If for instance you are constantly lending your knife to everyone or using your med supplies for everyone with a headache or a paper cut you can’t guarantee it to be their when you really need it.

I'm curious if others share my feelings.

Most offices have a Office First Aid kit that contains the basic bandaid / aspirin stuff so you shouldn't need to use your own such supplies regularly even for your own needs when at the office. Homes are usually likewise supplied. In terms of FAK supplies the only thing that I really bring to the table at the office is knowledge on how and when to use these items and an awareness of what is on hand and where it is. If it isn't supplied where you work you should remind the employeer of the appropriate OSHA requirements and suggest that they get a reasonable FAK.

I am an EMT-B so I also have a jump kit for duty use that contains some items not usually found in the office FAK like gloves, cpr mask, airways, splints, Stethescope, BP cuff, etc... that require some skill to make them useful. I won't be lending them out but if need be I will - and have - put them to use. Same goes for my other EDC tools. If someone needs a knife I will gladly cut open whatever package / box that they need opened. If someone needs a flashlight I will gladly shine some light into the dark corner under the desk while they use both hands to fix the errant PC or fishout the network cable from under the cube wall. If they need a screw-driver or similar I will stand by as they use it and retrieve it when they are done. If they put it down I pick it up. This way I get to be very helpful and the tools never leave my sight. I have had my tools damaged on occasion but usually, since I am standing there when they damage it, they look sheepish and volunteer to replace it. I gladly take them up on the offer and when they bring in the replacement I give them the damaged tool. For example, once a coworker borrowed my leatherman wave to "fix" a noisy fan in a power supply. When he grabbed a live wire with the pliers there was a loud arc and some of the tip of the jaws of the leatherman was vaporized. He got quite a jolt as well. After tending to his medical condition - only scorched his fingers no cross-body current but I took a full set of vitals and helped him calm down. He offered to replace the damaged wave. A week later the new wave arrived and when I gave him the damaged one he was surprised and pleased to have such a useful tool with only minor damage. He has carried it since.

the people in my office know I have everything I need just in case. They just roll their eyes and crack jokes, but I am the one they come to for little things. But then again, being a Marine, most everyone has a multitool and knife on them so its the small things they never think about that I have, like cray glue, or electrical tape, etc.

I dont mind, but I never lend my good stuff (swisstool and spyderco millie) out.

Garrett

So far most people who came to me for help also needed my skills to solve their problem. So my tools didn´t leave my hands. My coworkers stopped making jokes or giving me funny looks for being prepared. Giving a helping hand helps to build the proper reputation for preparedness.
A good office should have basic first aid supplies. It´s a good thing to watch over that supply to make sure that items are replaced and changed in time. When you volunteer to care for it, you make sure that you don´t have to invade your kit and you earn points for good social behaviour.
Preparedness extends to your environment. When you are the "go to person", you may even aquire the power to increase the supply of equipment in your office.

I'm in small office at the most we have 6 people in here at one time. The only first aid kit we have is a box of crappy band-aids in the closet. Last week I cut my knucles open on a picture frame in the hall that has exposed glass edges. When I cam in with blood dripping from hands very little was said. I explained what happened and again not much was said. I remarked about the lack of a first aid kit and again not much was said. So I grabbed my briefcase and went into the bathroom and took care of the problem with my personal FAK. I guess this is more of an issue about trying to get the office up to some minimum prepardness standard. A first aid kit would go a long ways from an emergency stand-point.

I've also heard of people carrying 2 knives one to lone and the other keep. But I like your idea of watching them use it and take it back immediately.

Your point is well taken. And it leads me to ask for advice on how to bring an office up to some minimal standard of preparedness. And what items would you want to have.

Off the top of my head I think the following would be a start:
A first aid kit
A flashlight
A small tool kit
A battery powered radio

What else would you add?

You've got two issues mixed here.

1) level of office preparedness

2) others using your tools

1) I would suggest that by taking the initiative to locate, price and suggest a basic office kit that won't break the bank for your small company you may get some points for initiative at-least. Do this in a helpful rather than resentful manner and it may be well received. Then follow up by stocking your personal FAK as needed and reasonable with a bit of extra. Keep track of what of yours gets consumed and ask to expense it just as you would a legal pad or mechanical pencil. Stay reasonable and helpful. Always help with a smile and a cheerful attitude. They may eventually recognize the need to re-imburse you for your supplies at which point you can offer to let it go if they will take on the collective duty to maintain an office FAK. (yes, I am suggesting that you invest - time, money, attitude - into your office community. I think it will pay off.)

2) Don't let others use your tools unsupervised and if you can do the work for them rather than loan the tool. They will recognize and appreciate your help and come to value and depend upon you. Best part of this approach is that they thank you for helping rather than raz you for having a Geek-Load of thingys. Oh yea, you get to protect your tools from bad handling since you are the one handling them.

What is the building type? Industry? location? Building age? Number of persons? Surrounding industry? Surrounding buildings? Handicap access? Handicapped residents? Level of training on hand? EMT? HazMat? Fire Suppression???????

The correct level of preparedness for a factory is vastly different than that for a bio-tech lab wich is different than that needed for a single story office building with software geeks within which is different than that needed for a High-rise office with a Data-Center housing a Mainframe and other Electronics posing a fire hazard.........

It's easy to say you need

1) FAK
2) ToolBox
3) Flashlight

but if you are in an old building with "historic" fire systems you might want a large Fire Extinguisher on the wall at every corner. If you are in a building that also houses some industry dealing with bio - chem hazmat stuff you might want to look into modifications to the ventilation systems to provide for positive pressure containment.

Provide some details and we can get this ball rolling! I'm sure that there a bunch of helpful suggestions just waiting to land once we know the target.

They are 2 separate issues that need to be addressed. One is the general office preparedness, which is rather poor. The other is being perceived as the office gadget geek. Having a few "office tools" would make it easy for someone to go get the "office flashlight" from the "office toolbox". But I think the first aid kit is a must. I’ll have to work on that one.

Even if I can only get a first aid kit for the office, I think your style of helping while your tools are being used is a fantastic idea. You can actually supervise but not do the work.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Yeah I knew that would be like opening a can of worms <img src="images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

I'm in a three-story wood and masonry building, which is about a hundred years old and was renovated about ten years ago. We are on the second floor. The building has a fire alarm system and fire extinguishers on each floor but not building wide suppression system. The third floor an apartment. The ground floor is a picture gallery and barbershop. We have two stairs in a separate corridor. The building is located in the center of a small town. Our building is a typical building on the main street. We have masonry party walls separating us from the adjoining buildings. One of those building happens to be a hardware store, it burned to the ground about ten years ago and was rebuilt, it has a fire suppression system (our building was damaged after the fire and thus the renovation). The building has no handicap access or handicap occupants.

I would say I have the most first aid training. I've taken many basic first aid classes for the various activates I'm involved with. They are basic first aid but do include CPR training every two years.

I should have thought a little more about that list. Yeah it was lame but I'm starting from scratch here so please any help would be great.