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#27667 - 05/19/04 05:59 PM Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
AyersTG Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/10/01
Posts: 1272
Loc: Upper Mississippi River Valley...
OK - new thread, as I said to Matt.

Situation: Eldest son is certifying as an EMT in a couple of weeks and will begin the final leg of the Paramedic certification journey next semester.

What sorts of personal equipment do y'all suggest? He's a seasoned, hardened, extremely capable outdoorsman and has enough personal gear along those lines to handle whatever comes up in THOSE situations. My focus here is strictly personal gear as it pertains to EMT and eventually Paramedic duties. He's quite passionate about serving as an EMT, if that matters - it clicks something on inside him.

TIA,

Tom

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#27668 - 05/19/04 06:16 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
Sorry, I answered here before I saw the new thread. Pete

http://www.equipped.org/ubbthreads/showt...=true#Post27581

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#27669 - 05/20/04 12:24 AM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
AyersTG Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/10/01
Posts: 1272
Loc: Upper Mississippi River Valley...
Thanks, Pete! Lots to choose from there - any specific recommendation? (I'm not gonna get him a Master Cardiac Electronic....)

Matt - thanks for:

Quote:
Now as far as the EMT stuff for your son goes. I know that amount and type of calls vary from area to area. In NYC as EMTs we get a lot of trauma although now I’m doing more medical calls due to paramedic training. Because of that tools will vary a bit. Good stethoscope is a must but let your son choose what he wants. Blood pressure cuff is pretty standard unless you want to get him a set with glow in the dark dials and different cuff sizes. Get him a good duty belt, glove holder and radio/shears holder. Also Benchmade rescue hook is a life saver (I wrote review about it here of ETS). It works better than shears. My belt also has multitool attached and I carry Spyderco Assist in my pocket. I also have emergency repel belt and it came handy during few roof jobs as my personal safety. Our Heroes (FD) respect medical profession very much and would much rather have us doing medical work than trying to play doctors. Also solid boots will save his ankles, feet, knees and back. I saw people also using combat shooting gloves for doing 10 fl carry downs. I personally have a nice set of construction calf skin gloves that suit me just fine. But the most important buy is a portable DVD player so he can watch all the movies in between calls. 

You can’t go wrong with the pelican light. Everyone wants Surefire but at one glimpse at mine they all end up getting M6. Also since Pelican is totally unsuitable to check pupils ARC AA is much better (and your son has a fine taste)

I also carry a small puls/oxygen (pulsox) meter. But I don’t recommend it for the reason that you need to get you vitals perfect without use of any gadgets. Only when you know how to take them with your eyes closed while hanging upside down you can start going for gadgets that make your life easier.


...and if you could give some example(s) of duty belt (I understand webgear, medic aid bags, field dressings, etc, so speak slowly so this old Army guy can understand you...) I'm guessing you mean something like a cop's duty belt, but that barely helps me...

Thanks again, and please continue to add to this list!

Tom

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#27670 - 05/20/04 02:58 AM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
stargazer Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/05/02
Posts: 224
Loc: Idaho, USA
Tom:
I can provide some answers your looking for.

Duty belt: Is basically a trousers belt in black leather (usually basketweave pattern) about 1.5" wide and besides holding up pants provides some (minimal) back support. You can normally hang a two-way radio on it without causing the radio to bend the belt. You can find them at most uniform stores and on-line. Try www.qmuniforms.com for example, or try a google search for police, fire, EMS uniforms.

Equipment Holster: A nylon or leather pouch, which holds scissors, knife, flashlight etc. You can find this item also through some uniform companies such as www.galls.com

I would not recommend the electronic version of the Littman Cardiology Stethoscope. EMS is a brutal work environment. You are exposed to things from temperature changes to running into something, all of which will contribute to problems for you. Besides, even with the best of co-workers, these types of scopes have a unique tendency to strangely enough grow legs and walk off. Only to show up months later in the back of a rival services ambulance.

Glove Holder: A small pouch, usually nylon, which can hold between one and two pairs of gloves. Some of the newer EMS cargo trousers have a small outer pocket on the outside, which holds gloves. If your son will be working for a service which provides uniform style shirts, he can carry a pair in one of the pockets.

Other equipment I recommend:

The most important tool has already been mentioned in these forums. The one between the ears and the knowledge, or rather wisdom within.

Boots: Already mentioned.

Good Trauma Shears: Cheaper than a Benchmade Rescue Hook.

A good quality knife: Very self explanatory and covered elsewhere better than I can.

Multitool: I have never carried one, so I cannot say anything here, but others have, with success.

Notebook: Can be used for a lot of things and is better than trying to remember all of those blood pressures, pulse rates, etc. as he becomes a paramedic, he’ll value having to recall when and how much dose of a drug he gave. When writing a patient care report, he’ll have patient names etc.

2 Pens: Why two? As Doug and others have said, “things have a way of conking out at the worst possible moment!”

Pencil: Why? Refer to the pens above. For ease, I carry a combo pen and pencil set and then add an additional pen. OBTW, my partners don’t always have a pen available.

Change of Uniform: If not required get in the habit. You never know when a patient will either vomit, or you will get blood on you. Working a whole shift without a change is taking too great a risk.

A couple of SHOUT or similar wipes these can be carried in a shirt pocket and used for cleaning the uniform of minor problems.

Small bottle of Purell, or other Gelled alcohol. The service I work for and additionally the state (Idaho) requires a hand sanitizer. WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER EACH PATIENT CONTACT! Very important, even with gloves.

Patient care cheat sheets: Such as InforMeds (www.emsguides.com) pocket notebook for EMS, with basic, intermediate, paramedic and RN versions. Again, trying to remember what to do at 0h 3 hundred after being woken up is nerve rattling at best. I know I have done this as a volunteer since, well let’s just say awhile.

Any more questions please ask!

Take care,
Stargazer









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#27671 - 05/20/04 11:24 AM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
Polak187 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 1403
Loc: Brooklyn, New York
Again it depends on the fashion of the local EMTs but here's how we do it in NYC.

You EMT pants are held up by regular leather 1.5 inch belt. You can also instead of leather use Last Resort Belt .

Duty belt is what Army had as a pistol belt. Here you can see example. We wear duty belt on top of our regular belt. Just like you would wear LCE in the Army (minus suspenders). Duty belt is not getting fit thru the belt loops on your pants. It is stand alone part of your uniform than can be ditched if you snag on something.

This is radio/shears/misc items holster I use: Conterra Trauma Pro EMS/Radio Holster ( link ). It can be fitted for most of the radios out there. It has two side pockets: one that would fit ARC AA and second will fit wrench/key to open oxygen tanks. It also has a small pocket for about 6 pairs of gloves. This seems to be very popular item out here.

Besides that I have a flashlight case, multitool and extra pouch for rubber gloves.

Let me know if I can help you any further.

Matt
_________________________
Matt
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/survival/index.html

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#27672 - 05/20/04 03:57 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
The Classic II S.E. or the Master Classic II are great and will serve him well. If you wanted to go for something in an upgraded version either the Cardiology III or the Master Cardiology. Pete

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#27673 - 05/20/04 04:17 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
Polak187 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 1403
Loc: Brooklyn, New York
I would second the Master Classic or Master Cardiology. Great solid ears.

Matt
_________________________
Matt
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/survival/index.html

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#27674 - 05/20/04 04:46 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
X-ray Dave Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/11/03
Posts: 572
Loc: Nevada
A good stethescope will help with all the background noise. Since I don't hear well to start with, a good set of ears helps inside, and on the side of the road with traffic etc it's a must.

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#27675 - 05/20/04 05:53 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
stargazer Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/05/02
Posts: 224
Loc: Idaho, USA
Matt:

I have a couple of questions myself and need some clarification please.

You mentioned the nylon pants belt. Is the model you mentioned the same as one the BLM provides for wildland firefighters? If so, I would not recommend it. The model I am familiar with barely lasts one full fire season (gov’t low bid) and folds easily if you are slightly overweight. Another problem I have seen with them is they never stay cinched tight enough to actually work. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

The duty belt you mentioned, is it the same as a nylon gun belt for law enforcement? We used to call them Sam Browne belts, or just gun belts.

I like the holster you have. I am not sure of your uniform in NYC, but since our service uses EMT cargo pants like these. I have not worn a belt holster in years. I do carry it in my nylon briefcase when on duty. I use the Motorola HT1250 radio (personal purchase) and it is the only item hanging from my belt these days. I recall getting caught on too many car frames, doorframes etc. with both a different radio and my old nylon holster. Since streamlining to the cargo pants, I don’t experience this as often. Our uniform shirts are the typical duty uniform shirts from Horace Small Uniforms in French Heather Blue from Galls. I normally carry a small notebook, 2 pens and a pencil in the left pocket and the EMS guide in the right pocket with a small penlight. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You mentioned an emergency rescue harness, I think, which one are you using?

Thanks in advance,

Stargazer

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#27676 - 05/20/04 06:24 PM Re: Equipment Suggestions for a noob EMT?
Polak187 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 1403
Loc: Brooklyn, New York
Quote:
You mentioned the nylon pants belt. Is the model you mentioned the same as one the BLM provides for wildland firefighters? If so, I would not recommend it. The model I am familiar with barely lasts one full fire season (gov’t low bid) and folds easily if you are slightly overweight. Another problem I have seen with them is they never stay cinched tight enough to actually work.


I've head mine for two years and it is working fine. But than again wildlife fire fighters put much more wear and tear on their equipment.

Quote:
The duty belt you mentioned, is it the same as a nylon gun belt for law enforcement? We used to call them Sam Browne belts, or just gun belts.


Same thing. Regular gun belt. Mine is exactly the same belt that the Army is using in their LCEs but black.

Quote:
You mentioned an emergency rescue harness, I think, which one are you using?


I'm using the belt you dislike (mentioned above). We can't really repell or do any crazy stunts but when stuff needs to get done you do what you got to do to get there. I will strap in when working on the balconies, roof and during fires. Together with BProof vest and drug/o2/monitor my center of gravity and balance can get little funky.

We are using the same pants you guys have but bp cuff takes one pocket and gloves take the second one. I also carry two pens, notebook and local protocols like you do. For some reason we are all about the holsters. That's were the drug box goes, radio and other junk.

Matt
_________________________
Matt
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/survival/index.html

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