When to get your gear on

[stretch13]

if the cab is big enough, get dressed on the way.

[Shoreman22]

In the early 80s, we used to keep the 3/4's, coat and helmet on gear racks mounted on top of the engine along the hose bed (viva LaFrance...) I can remember responding to a few calls trying to don the gear while lying on the hosebed.

Ahh, the good ol' days...

[Edward Hartin]

Get dressed before you go. If you are on the road, stop and get dressed or get dressed when you arrive. If you wonder why click on the link below.

Arrive Alive

The first apparatus I rode did not have seatbelts and I didn't wear seatbelts in my car either. However, older and wiser I now do both. Pay attention to the death and injury statistics... More of us are dying responding and returning than on the fireground. This is preventable.

Think about what you can do about this during the Firefighter Safety Stand Down later this month.

Buckle up, slow down, and arrive alive and ready to do your job!

[TurdFergeson]

I recommend dressing before you get in the rig. If you're out and get an alarm, I think it is best to pull over and dress before responding. The last thing you want is to show up on scene of a fire and not be dressed while the bystanders outside are outside screaming at you.

[WBenner]

Why wear bunker pants to a medical call? Good question its not in our SOP its just my preference I guess. Body fluids and other human junk is better off on my bunker gear then station wear. And a lot of times the call is not inside on that clean carpet if yah know what I mean.. Hell if I wreck my bunker pants then they replace it.. THEY HAVE TO ITS THE LAW. They cant allow u to wear FUBAR gear HEALTH AND SAFETY SAYS SO.

[TurdFergeson]

Why wear bunker pants to a medical call? Good question its not in our SOP its just my preference I guess. Body fluids and other human junk is better off on my bunker gear then station wear. And a lot of times the call is not inside on that clean carpet if yah know what I mean.. Hell if I wreck my bunker pants then they replace it.. THEY HAVE TO ITS THE LAW. They cant allow u to wear FUBAR gear HEALTH AND SAFETY SAYS SO.

Not a bad idea. Our department allows us to wear shorts, so I try to remember to put on my bunker pants for all of our medical calls when I have shorts on (I should anyway sinsce it is department policy).

[pfd4life]

Just curious as to why you need bunker pants on medicals? Is this an SOP for some reason?

I do the same...it's just easier. Plus my shears, penlight and chocks are in those.

[ndvfdff33]

*Cough* 99% of the time en-route *cough*

damn cold



I know its not a safe way about it...

[PFDTruck18]

Directives say not to get dressed while vehicle is moving. Vehicle is moving when the driver is ready. He doesnt wear bunker gear. We are fully dressed upon arrival. You figure out how we do it.

[LaFireEducator]

For the posters that wear thier turnouts to Medicals:

Do you wash the bottom of your boots and bunker pants after every fire run? If not, and you wear them inside the patient's homes on medicals, aren't you bringing in an awful lot of dirt that will be left behind? Also, do you see any health risks to the residents from bringing in all that crap you just picked up on your last fire?

I know that to some, the phrase "customer service" is a dirty word used only by departments that face to the southwest and bow three times a day following mindlessly the words of the Big Crazy Chief in the Desert, but the idea of tracking all that crap into the home certainly has to cause a mess (not to mention a potential health hazard) that I am sure the homeowners don't appreciatte. In fact we are forbidden from wearing bunkers inside the home on an EMS run for just that reason. To me I guess it's just basic courtesy.

[doughesson]

I always tried to get dressed before jumping on.That wasn't always an option so putting on a bunker coat while strapped in a rig that goes airborne every quarter mile or so is a fun experience.Try it coming off a strained shoulder while the Captain that takes turns on 3 wheels is behind the wheel for extra points.
It was preferred that everyone but the driver be fully turned out by the time we got on scene to allow us to hit the ground running.

[FFFRED]

For the posters that wear thier turnouts to Medicals:

Do you wash the bottom of your boots and bunker pants after every fire run? If not, and you wear them inside the patient's homes on medicals, aren't you bringing in an awful lot of dirt that will be left behind? Also, do you see any health risks to the residents from bringing in all that crap you just picked up on your last fire?

I know that to some, the phrase "customer service" is a dirty word used only by departments that face to the southwest and bow three times a day following mindlessly the words of the Big Crazy Chief in the Desert, but the idea of tracking all that crap into the home certainly has to cause a mess (not to mention a potential health hazard) that I am sure the homeowners don't appreciatte. In fact we are forbidden from wearing bunkers inside the home on an EMS run for just that reason. To me I guess it's just basic courtesy.

First...I've never tracked anything into a persons apartment or house...its called wiping your feet. Try it out it works out great. Also I don't ever recall hearing any protests as the people are usually more worried about their loved ones health than my footwear or pants. If they have time to concern themselves with my pants or boots...odds are it isn't an emergency and they should have not wasted our time and just hailed a taxi to take them to the hospital.

Second...my personal and my family's health come first. I don't want to be kneeling or stepping in any sh*t, blood, vomit, urine, semen, spinal fluid...etc in regular work duty pants and shoes.(many times thats even before we get to the patient ) Don't like my bunker pants?...then call your councilman and tell them to stop sending firemen on EMS runs.

To me it is basic common sense that the members should be able to protect themselves to the highest degree they feel comfortable with...but as with many things nowdays common sense is a vanishing commodity; Furthermore some insist we should have to listen to some idiot desk jockey who spent most of his career avoiding fire duty and real world issues while he traversed the seminar circut with his circus act and his own dept was left like a rudderless ship without it's Captain.

FTM-PTB

[WBenner]

Um pretty sure you should wash your turnout gear after every working call. Thats if you got it dirty. And yes I wash my boots after every dirty job Why wouldnt I? Why wouldnt you? And if the VSA pt is upset that i got their carpet dirty well maybe the clean EMTs should just go and Fire just sit in the house and wait for other calls.
Even they get dirty, more so with human junk then us. And I bet they wash up after a call. And if you dont clean up GOOD FOR YOU.. Im 100% sure the VSA pt not going to care to much.

[TurdFergeson]

Um pretty sure you should wash your turnout gear after every working call. Thats if you got it dirty.

You're right. In a perfect world that would happen. But I'm only issued one set of bunker gear, and if I get dirty at a fire...guess what. I'm dirty for the rest of the shift.

[ehs7554]

You're right. In a perfect world that would happen. But I'm only issued one set of bunker gear, and if I get dirty at a fire...guess what. I'm dirty for the rest of the shift.

Right on! I can agree with that.
On a side note if we get an alarm while in service we'll probably gear up
en-route

[cozmosis]

The policy, to my understanding, has always been to don your bunkers before getting on the rig. However, I personally have done a fair share of "engine surfing" while on the job. Engine surfing, of course, is trying to stand up, put on your bunkers and shift your weight in the opposite direction the driver is driving. Tricky... Exciting... But probably not safe.

We received a new pumper last month and we have no choice but to bunk up before getting in. There are flashing lights and loud whistles that all go off if we have members not buckled up with the parking break off.

As far as bunkers on medical calls, I only wear mine when I already have them on or when I'm wearing shorts (night runs, during PT, and -- coming this summer -- when we are allowed uniforms shorts). As clean as I try to keep my bunkers, I only have one pair and they aren't always spotless. I know one address where I've personally dirtied a woman's nice white carpet twice while running on her husband. Like one poster said, the emergencies were legitimate and she didn't really mind.

[RLFD14]

Directives say not to get dressed while vehicle is moving. Vehicle is moving when the driver is ready. He doesnt wear bunker gear. We are fully dressed upon arrival. You figure out how we do it.

Scary. This is how jakes get run over on the apron. It's not like that is unprecedented.

May I recommend what we do in our house: Vehicle is moving when driver has confirmed all passengers are ready.

Maybe you didn't mean it that way.....

[firefiftyfive]

Right on FFred! I always wear my bunker pants on ems runs, they protect me from everything you listed. Especially since I never wear anything but shorts at work. And half the time some of the apts. I go into are so discusting I would'nt kneel in them to begin with!

[wag11c]

EDIT< EDIT EDIT

[MemphisE34a]

I always tried to get dressed before jumping on.That wasn't always an option so putting on a bunker coat while strapped in a rig that goes airborne every quarter mile or so is a fun experience.Try it coming off a strained shoulder while the Captain that takes turns on 3 wheels is behind the wheel for extra points.
It was preferred that everyone but the driver be fully turned out by the time we got on scene to allow us to hit the ground running.

The Captain shouldn't be driving.