Pocket Tools

[PFDRes47cue 653]

After reading the thread about carrying lights, I wanted to hear about what people carry in terms of "pocket tools."

I carry a spanner wrench, leatherman, tactical knife, screw driver (w/bits), two window punches, seatbelt cutter, K-tool, shove knife, mini mag light, safety glasses, 2 door chocks, sprinkler chock, pocket resuscitator mask. I have a nice little tool pouch that holds everything but the chocks, safety glasses, and pocket mask.

I think that is...

Edited March 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[x129K 1,393]

safety glasses, door chocks, shove knife, and 2 of them TFT spanner thingees...

[CFFD117 19]

In my pockets Ive got a pair of channel locks, and vice grips. I have a door chalk in the band on my helmet. i also have a leatherman skeletool, that is clipped on to a key ring on the outside of my jacket, that has my knife, and a small and large size philips and standard screwdriver bits, not to mention the pliers with wire cutters. AND the clip on it doubles as a bottle opener. I have been meaning to add a standard screwdriver, for forcible entry, as the screwdriver on the leatherman isn't strong enough and doesn't really fit into a lock. Safety glasses and a better pair of wire cutters are on the wish list.

[FFBlaser 24]

Gerber Knife is on my at all times

Leathermen in my bunker pockets

along with a spanner

a window punch

pen light.

wirecutters

extrication gloves

latex gloves

cpr mask

door jams on my helmet.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Aside from gloves and a hood...

Safety Glasses and Cutters.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Safety glasses, screwdriver(interchangeable small/large tip Philips head and flat head), and a leatherman. Wooden chock on the helmet.

[Guest car2666]

hey pfd not for nothing, what are you going to ? Fires or a swap meet. cutters, screwdriver and a good knife that can be used with your gloves on are all you need, all that other stuff is gonna make your profile alot wider, which will in turn make it harder to get through wall studs if the need arises, i would advise you to get rid of half the stuff you have, not trying to start an arguement at all, just something that i feel very strongly about

[Alpinerunner 61]

hey pfd not for nothing, what are you going to ? Fires or a swap meet. cutters, screwdriver and a good knife that can be used with your gloves on are all you need, all that other stuff is gonna make your profile alot wider, which will in turn make it harder to get through wall studs if the need arises, i would advise you to get rid of half the stuff you have, not trying to start an arguement at all, just something that i feel very strongly about

I've heard this from a career chief as well. Don't want too much stuff!

I carry: 2 wedges in my helmet, and a roll of webbing, a swiss army knife and this: http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-88-6-in-1-Rescue-Tool/dp/B001680YRY/ in my coat pocket. Bunker pants pockets I keep for my gloves only

Edited March 24, 2011 by Alpinerunner

[roofsopen19 34]

http://www.vententersearch.com/pockets.htm

[PFDRes47cue 653]

hey pfd not for nothing, what are you going to ? Fires or a swap meet. cutters, screwdriver and a good knife that can be used with your gloves on are all you need, all that other stuff is gonna make your profile alot wider, which will in turn make it harder to get through wall studs if the need arises, i would advise you to get rid of half the stuff you have, not trying to start an arguement at all, just something that i feel very strongly about

I run a lot of car accidents so the ARK kit is a must for me. All of my tools combined are just a bit bigger than a woodchock (minus the cpr mask). The wood/sprinkler chocks are in my helmet. The real issue profile wise is the bulky Rockin Rescue that I'm forced to carry on my person. I would prefer if it was on the air-packs. Pleasantville FD has us carry them on our person. Potsdam FD has them on the packs...I'm a fan of them on the pack. Too me it seems that if I am ever going to need to bailout I will be in a situation that requires me to have a pack on. So the bailout system on the pack means I would have it whenever I would need it. Unless I need to bailout at an MVA or brush fire...

Also with everything said, it is important for me to note that all of my car accident tools which are kept in my small tool pouch are removed from my person for fires since I wont be cutting seat belts or punching windows. When going into a fire, the only thing left on me are a wood chock, knife, leatherman...sorry for the confusion.

Edited March 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[PC_420 28]

5 in 1 tool (spanner, gas shut off, seat belt cutter, window punch, chock); 4 in 1 screw driver; pen and paper; trauma shears; 4 inch folding knife; 10 ft of rope in my radio pocket; 30 ft of bailout roper in one pant pocket; 2 10 ft webbings in the other pant pocket; and extrication in my inside coat pocket

Edited March 24, 2011 by PC_420

[Guest car2666]

just for the record, i am not bashing anyone for what they do or dont carry. im just stating my personall opinion on what to carry. Please dont takle it tthe wrong way. i do like hearing what and why people are carrying different items, but some personell are carrying the samne if not more than what their first due rigs carry

[FFBlaser 24]

I have most of my tools spread out on my body... but I know what is where and always try to use them in training. all the sharp tools are kept in a small nylon bag in my right pocket.

Granted. not all of my tools are on me. the extrication gloves and latex gloves only go when they are needed...

The pen light is handier then you'd think.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

just for the record, i am not bashing anyone for what they do or dont carry. im just stating my personall opinion on what to carry. Please dont takle it tthe wrong way. i do like hearing what and why people are carrying different items, but some personell are carrying the samne if not more than what their first due rigs carry

So true! I know a guy that has all his pockets full and even has a tool pouch clipped onto his bunker pants...i think that nuts.

[conman 40]

I carry bail out rope, a five in one tool (spanner, o2 tank wrench, seat belt cutter, window punch, and something else lol) gerber rescue knife and a chock on my helmet

[nhfd241 4]

I carry a letherman, channelocks, cable cutters, folding box knife, 5 and 1 spanner wrench, safety glasses and a window punch

[wraftery 1,275]

I agree that we shouldn't try to carry a whole fire engine in our pockets. That will just bog you down, Batman.

I carried just a small assortment of hand tools (Swiss Army knife, screwdriver w/changeable tips, adjustable wrench, etc.). Make sure the Swiss knife is the one the long narrow pointy thing that might be a fingernail cleaner. It makes a great tool for thru-the-lock entry to get that guillotine cover that snaps down. If you don't know what I'm talking about, find an Entry Course with a good instructor. After the fireis out, you can clean your fingernails with it.

In an inside pocket, a 100' length of parachute shroud. It is strong and folds to about the size of a PB&J sandwich. If you go to a roof or upper floor and don't have a rope, you can drop your shroud and use it as a messenger line to get a utility lineup to you. DON"T use the shroud to haul anything except a utility line EVER. If you want to drop you shroud in even a light wind, you will have to tie some kind of a weight to the bottom (see adjustable wrench above).

Edited March 25, 2011 by wraftery

[M' Ave 1,466]

First off....I carry too much! My coat is heavy!

Left Pocket: Safety Glasses, hose strap, 15' of nylon webbing rolled up and a pair of work gloves

Right Pocket: Small vice grips, lineman pliers, shove knife, screw driver with 4 tips and a Channellock 911 cutting plier. (CUTS THROUGH CABLE LIKE BUTTER)

On the front of my coat I sewed the sheath of a CRKT survival knife with a 5" blade, half serrated. Easy to grab if hung up in wires and such. A lot of old buildings have cable, internet and phone wires run through the hallway in plastic molding. This molding is high, as in above the doorways. Only a little bit of heat will melt this and bring it down on your head! A good blade or pair of snips is a must!

Along these lines of getting caught; you need to keep calm in order to free yourself. Remember the maneuvers with the mask. You should be able to do anything with that mask blind! Taking it off, moving it around, pushing it forward and getting it back on should be second nature.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

I try to carry stuff that you will use alot of the time. A nice set of cable/wire cutters, extra cheap light, a decent knife, chocks, webbing, an etra set of clean cheap (hopefully dry)leather work gloves.

I also carry a few bungee cords. IN a separate leg pocket alone so they dont hook on anything else when you pull them out. I find they come in handy when you need to keep a storm door open, (not rip it off). 1 out of 3 storm doors dont work right or are broken. I hate to see a "can" proped up against the door, you brought it for a reason dont use it as door stop. You can wrap the door handle with one end and then stretch off to almost anything, mailbox, under side of a piece of siding, railings, flower pots, bushes to keep the door wide open.

It's important to also have "life saving" items, cutters, a knife, in pockets you can reach easily when needed, on your strong hand side of your gear.

Edited March 25, 2011 by spin_the_wheel

[dwcfireman 656]

Why are firefighters carrying so much in their pockets? It makes your profile larger, weighs you down, and, if you end up inverted for whatever reason, everything just falls out! Besides, we have to get to the scene somehow, and I'm pretty sure that 99% of the tools we need are on those trucks.

[38ff 250]

I carry the following in my :

Coat:

Survivor light

15 feet of nylon tubular webbing

cable cutters

electricans pliers

work gloves

Pants:

4 1 in screw driver

2 chocks

30 feet of rope with carabiener

shove knife

TFT combination hose tool/spanner wrench/glass breaker/seatbelt cutter thing the dept issues

It's enougth to atleast have a good attempt at "self extrication" out of a jam.

Edited March 25, 2011 by 38ff

[firemoose827 324]

Coat Pockets: Shove knife, 5-in one tool, additional folding spanner, prussik loop, 2 flashlights.

Pant Pockets: 35' self rescue rope on large "D" ring (attached to sinch strap on waistline of pants), spanner belt, hood, hand warmer pouches (winter).

Attached to front of coat: Survivor light (right), mini halligan (left).

Helmet: Strobe, chocks, bourques.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Why are firefighters carrying so much in their pockets? It makes your profile larger, weighs you down, and, if you end up inverted for whatever reason, everything just falls out! Besides, we have to get to the scene somehow, and I'm pretty sure that 99% of the tools we need are on those trucks.

Agreed, I keep a pair of chocks, about 12 pairs of latex gloves, safety goggles, a pair of shears and my leatherman that is it.

[Guest WackPac21]

Helmet: 1 wack pack, 2 wood chocks, 1 steel chock, mini mag light, rosary beads.

Coat: vice grips, flat head screw driver, extra wack pack, safety glasses, tactical knife, R-tool, extra door chock, 2 sprinkler chocks, pocket cpr mask, shove knife, full size spanner wrench (the folding ones were too difficult to use so I upgraded!), wire strippers, halagen bottle opener, pen light, ems gloves, 2 window punches, seat belt cutter

Bunker Pants: 65 feet of bailout rope with ladder rack and fdny gemtor harness, channel locks, 5 in 1 tool, webbing: 35' loop, and 2-20' loops (you can never have too much webbing!!!), extrication gloves, O-2 tank wrench, extra hood, cable cutters, hose clamp, pipe wrench, bungee cord, extra structural gloves, I bought a mini lock puller that I cut short and keep it in my pants pocket, and I usually keep a pb&j sandwich in there too !!

I have a long wish list too! I'm hoping to get my own scba for my birthday next month!! (keep your fingers crossed )

[Guest alsfirefighter]

If you don't use it at least once a week or its something that will save your butt...you don't need it. Some of you have home depot in your pockets.

I do have one question..for those of you that carry a spanner "wrench." Is there a shortage of spanner wrenches on your apparatus...and I see many students who carry a single folding spanner wrench...you normally need 2. Often the longest lays come from your supply line so you need a LDH spanner if you need one for that.

PFD...you carry 2 window punches? Your one of the ones who said you carry a spanner wrench. Also a k tool? how do you keep your pants up? lol.

Remember the biggest thing with a device to cut...you have to be able to use it one handed and get to it with either hand. Gerbers and leathermans suck for that and cut very little as they don't open wide. I carry a cutter that looks something like pruning shears and cuts cable tv wire, rdx etc. I carry chocks..not on my helmet..tired of pulling one and having them all fall out..I use extinguisher plastic pin locks and drill a hole in my chocks and put them on my coat. Otherwise a few nails. Survior light went bye bye. Got hung up on it and saw no purpose in having a light on my coat that pointed to the ground. I love the Vulcan..the blue led's stand out when your partner is searching the other side of the room and they are lightweight. All those fancy helmet lights..another thing to get hung up on or inhibit your ability to slide between studs if you have to wall breach. No thanks...I want to be light and slim.

[abaduck 123]

Pockets...

R pants:

Bailout system

L pants:

Structural gloves (hate those glove keepers, seen guys fighting to get their gloves out of those)

Colt CSAR tool (gravity knife, one-handed operation)

Wire cutters (large blades, bit like miniature tin snips, spring-loaded to the open position, again one-handed operation)

Small mole grips.

R coat:

Medic gloves

L coat:

Extrication gloves, if MVA.

That's it. Anything else I need is in my hand or grabbed off a rig for a specific purpose. Door chocks etc. on helmet band; I like Tom's idea but haven't tried it yet.

Often less is more. And don't put anything your life may depend on in your coat pockets; have you tried getting them out when wearing a pack & gloves?

Lights... I do like having two lights, a Survivor in the usual place, and a small LED helmet light - on a rubber band, which will rip off if badly hung up. Not a fan of light boxes when working interior, except to put in a doorway to mark an exit. If it's going good you might see them, but won't see much WITH them! Agree with Tom the Vulcan is the best of them I've seen.

Mike

Edited March 26, 2011 by abaduck

[bigrig77 95]

Wow it's like a walking Home Depot in here! I just carry a couple chocks in a jacket pocket and pair of Slip-joint pliers in my radio pocket (i wear my radio under my coat), Bailout bag on pants and that's it. all that other stuff will just weigh you down and get you caught in stuff. As ALS said those vulcan lights are amazing. Our gear weight to much already, don't make it worse.

[FFBlaser 24]

after serious thought I eliminated everything I don't use on a weekly basis!

I have Door Chocks on a rubber band on my brain bucket

Folding spanner

Gerber MultiTool

My pops just gave me a five in one rescue tool that I wrapped in Nylon. High Speed and Lightweight!!!

[Haggerty 1029 16]

Since im only an Explorer and i cant go in on interior work i carry very little amount of items. I have a hand me down California style jacket with the air mask pocket on the right chest i carry a reflecive vest in there and again since im always on the exterior its not gonna be melting in there. Right coat pocket i carry gloves i always have both structure and extrication on me, what ever im not using is in that pocket. Left coat pocket i carry a nomex hood for those nice cold new england calls. Im in the process of getting a light for the outside of my coat. In my pants pocket i carry a small multi tool, $10 Ocean State job Lot, also carry a 2nd of the same tool when i ride my quads, very handy. And my radio sits in my radio pocket on my coat.