whats in your bunker gear??

[AVFR452]

All,

Just thought you might like to know that this thread was done before on these forums. Follow the link for 186 posts on "who carries what". http://www.firehouse.com/cgi-bin/for...=8&t=000026&p=

My own cache of equipment varies, but usually I have a pair of linesmans pliers, a six-way screwdriver, a center punch, a folding spanner, a 2-C Pelican light, 20'of webbing w/biner, EMS gloves and a pocket mask, Hard to tell what is in my pockets as we speak. As I type I'm thinking it is time to lighten the load.

I used to have a coat with two patch pockets,they were full and I just knew that there was NO need for the "huge" cargo pockets on the new style gear. Now I have to think about what I have in each pocket.

Time to empty my pockets and throw away the trash. Christmas is just around the corner, gotta make room for more junk.

Stay Safe,

Jim

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: AVF&R452 ]

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: AVF&R452 ]

[Medic162]

As a MICT/FF, of course I have to carry tons'o junk... Surefire C2 flashlight, Leatherman Supertool, cheapo disposable penlight(the Surefire blinds!), crash scissors, Spyderco knife, 2 "lose" pens(never carry good ones!), lots of nitrile gloves, heavy leather gloves, EMS FieldGuide/Patient notepad and ALWAYS!!! a handkerchief in case of a call like 09/11, not for the dust, but the tears... Brian

[JRFF661]

I have my fire gloves in my coat pockets, a pair of latex gloves,, i'm gettin a set of goggles , a res-q-rench ,door wedges and a garrity light in my helmet, i'm gunna get a gut belt soon 2.

[firemangeorge]

Always travel light, don't carry anything you don't need. Michelle, loose the rocks!
Radio Pocket - Radio
Inside pocket - cpr mask, disposable camera, electrical tester (the kind that looks like a marker, don't touch it if you don't know if it is hot)
R Coat Pocket - Gloves
L Coat pocket - 35mm canister w/3 pieces of chalk. Caribeaner, 6 ft of webbing (issued, don't know why), folding spanner, roll of electrical tape, had a rusty pair of dikes(they fell in the hole I cut in a roof a while back)
R Pants Pocket - Right hand spare glove, note pad, pen
L Pants Pocket - Left hand spare glove

Most of this is stuff I noticed my old officer had in his. He retired with 32 years on the job.

Learn from others who have been there...

[Michelle Latham]

Oh!! I don't mean to have rocks staying in my bunkers! I just...find pretty rocks, stuff them in my pockets as someone bellows "Hurry up Michelle!!!" and I forget about them.

[cffd20]

Helmet-wedges, pic of family
Coat-extrcation gloves, knife, whistle, work gloves, window punch, 20 FT webbing w/ biner, flashlight, gloves on strap
Pants-folding spanner, vise grips w/ 10ft chain, leatherman, small multi tipped screwdriver, allen wrenches, 35mm film case with chalk, electrical tape, outlet tester

[Michelle Latham]

Why do you carry chalk and vice grips on a ten foot chain? (where do you fit all that chain??)

[Afd063]

I wish the guys I work with would see that I am not the only walking tool bin in the fire service. I have the following in my bunker pants: 2 outlet cheater plugs, two sprinkler wedges, spring loaded center punch, 25 ft of 7 mm cord w/ biner attached, screwdriver with various tips, 2 folding spanner wrenches, several pairs of latex gloves(left from calls I didn't need them on), 3 door chocks and a bent screwdriver for digging locks. In my coat I have a pair of gloves and flashlight clipped to the outside of my coat. In my pocket I carry a 8" locking knife and a pack of gum. I carry a lightbox attached to a strap around my neck, it has a dive knife attached to it. In my helmet I have a picture of my wife and children. When I come off the truck on fire calls I always have my radio, halligan and thermal imager. (No wonder my back always kills me after a working fire)

[ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: Afd063 ]

[cffd20]

Chalk is for marking doors, floors whatever...so you know that room was searched.....Chain is wrapped around vise grips.....comes in handy for locking onto just about anything....and pulling ...also very good for cutting lock shackles with a cut-off saw......attach vise grips to lock....pull lock away from door...with the chain....then your partner can cut the lock off with ease....

[Michelle Latham]

Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a curious probie...I must sound like a total dork on these forums but...oh well I have to ask because I don't know the answer!

How can you see chalk marks in a fire? It's dark and totally smokey and all black and stuff...how can you see anything let alone chalk??

[cffd20]

You can see the chalk...u mark near the floor, for obvious reasons...u are crawling....u won't see it from across the room, but u will see it when searching

[trumpeter75]

Another good use for the vise grips and chain is when you're forcing doors that swing away from you (like in a house). Once you force it, you can hold onto the chain to keep the door mostly closed. That way you don't get flame and fire gases in your face until you're ready to go in. Without the chain, the door might swing all the way in. If there's heavy fire there and you're not ready for it, you could be in a world of hurt.

[Michelle Latham]

Oh! I see! Too bad they don't make glow-in-the-dark chalk!

[fireflyer]

Laminated card of St. Florian (patron Saint of Firefighters), door wedge, WHIFFS mask and filter (for overhaul, highly recommend, www.whiffs.net), latex gloves, knife, ladder rope (to hold the hose onto the ladder), spanner wrench, flashlight, and small LED light (2.00 at Wal-Mart) on a d-ring of my coat for extra visibility.

[DFDRev]

hmmm... what is in my bunker gear? Usually just me!

[patrickharper]

Helmet -Picture of my wife, Garrity flashlight held on with a large rubber band, and a good-sized wooden chock.

Coat -A hose strap, 25' of tubular webbing, several wooden chocks, seatbelt knife, safety glasses, a holster with 2 screwdrivers, a pair of needle nose pliers, another pair of standard pliers, and a window punch.

Pants -a set of FF gloves and a set of work gloves, an escape rope system.

I got ideas for a lot of this stuff from Harry Davis, Squad 18 FDNY.

[suzie]

Well my bunker pants have holes in the pockets so everything falls out. In the coat i have an albuteral inhaler, hair tie, cpr mask, packaging from a granola bar, and my gloves.

[Fire29_1999]

I could have sworn I responded to this same post before and I checked the link that was posted a few posts back but it must have been my imagination, hmm, anyway, turn outs:
1 folding spanner wrench
1 window punch
asst. bands
1 hood
1pr leather fire gloves
1 small roll med.tape
1pr med. gloves
1 flashlight
1 radio
1 cellphone
pretty light compared to others here.

[dz]

my turnout jacket I hang alot on the outside because when I put the straps from the SCBA on I can't get in my damn pockets. We have a radio pocket left chest high my radio inside flashlight outside, Gloves on a tie on that pocket too. nomex hood hanging on collar right side. Bunker pants rights side my rescue rope with two hooks. left side 2 knifes a pair of fence plyers (101 uses) a screw driver with diffrent attachments center punch and a leatherman like tool. on my suspenders trama shears and a mini mag light.

[chris a]

Let's see,inside coat pocket seatbelt cutter and center punch,outside pocket has a flashlight.Bunker pants right pocket has 3 wedges and a Sears multi-tool,left pocket has a spanner and a door hinge hook.Also left pants pocket has a hood.SCBA bag has a spare pair of gloves and a spare hood.My gloves hang on my coat with a glove strap.