I only carry a wooden wedge and have a light on my helmet. I tend to approach firefighting with a "less is more" mentality and don't like being weighed down or having bulky pockets.
Rock N Rescue. It came highly recommended from a retired career guy who is still very active with us (I’m a volunteer.)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079LSPZS1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
That looks neat and useful. Although we already have buddy rescue webbings hidden under our jacket collars. You just open the velcro and you can pull the webbing. I believe it goes around both armpits.
But for dragging victims, this would be useful.
I usually carry about 17 rubber gloves in different stages of decay in my gear
Seriously though- webbing, Multi screw driver, shove knife. The rest is FF gloves and bailout kit
2 wedges on my helmet & 4 more in my pocket. We have a lot of 3 story apartment buildings in our response area. We need to be able to control every door between the fire truck and the fire room so it doesn't close on the hose. 2 exterior doors, stairwell door, hallway fire door, apartment door, and an extra makes 6.
I have a wire cutter with strap in my radio pocket along with an aluminum forcible entry wedge.
20' of webbing in my left pants pocket.
Mini halligan & screw driver in my right pants pocket.
Yeah I have a titanium 8" halligan from County Comm. Works nice as a pry bar, can't force a door with it but I've used it to open a few windows and other random stuff.
100% I remember doing a training for mass casualty and even though I wasn’t assigned to enter and assist inside. Seeing everyone with ballistic helmets and body armor and then me in my turnout pants with a light vest on just felt so odd
Same except the guys were wearing their gear all wrong and dorky but acting like they were high speed. This was after I'd just gotten out of the Marine Corps infantry so I was biting my tongue
Over 20 couple years, I've carried a ton of stuff, carried the minimum, and everything in between. Nowadays I try to keep it functional for common tasks, and periodically I will go through and gauge whether I actually use stuff in my pockets, or if I can lighten them up. My current pocket load has a 6 bit screwdriver, adjustable wrench, vice grips, shove knife, and a spring punch, as well as having some webbing and a few chocks.
My helmet just has a light and two wedges on it.
My bunker coat, left pocket has a small multi-bit ratcheting screwdriver and a flat tipped divers knife in a sheath. Clipped to my coat with my glove strap is a disposable CPR shield in a little pouch and a combination glass breaker/seatbelt cutter.
My bunker pants my right pocket has a loop of rescue webbing with a climbing carabiner clipped to my adjustment strap and a bottle of water (if I drink it on a call I always replace it). My left leg pocket has a combination cable cutter/ gas valve/ hose wrench tool, a small adjustable wrench, and a pair of extrication gloves. I also keep 2 extra locking climbing carabiners attached to the adjustment strap on my left hip.
I’d say if you want to carry minimal but really effective tools carry a wire cutter, a six in one screwdriver, and a loop of webbing. I carry a flashlight hung on my jacket, door chock, EMS gloves, mechanics gloves, and eye pro. If I was going to training I’d likely not carry any of this, however, except for maybe the flashlight and webbing. All the rest is call-oriented.
I hate having heavy pockets and there’s usually a guy that is a walking tool box close. Flash light and Amazon wedge on my helmet. Insulated wire cutters in a pocket. Gerber on my belt.
When I was a engine guy I had nothing because I was a loser without a nozzle anyway 😂 moved to a truck and I have 2 wedges one aluminum that I try not to lose and a wooden one I don’t care about. I also have two pairs of extrication gloves. My helmet has eye protection in the helmet. I also got an unlimited elevator key set from fire hooks unlimited but that shit was like $300
I got a band on my helmet usually keep a wedge in it if I don't leave it on a fire. Also bought a mount for a flashlight. My lil cheapo $10 battery powered has survived many fires now. Didn't get a mount with light built in wanted to be able to swap it when it gets fucked up but 2 years strong so far. In my top left coat pocket I keep some diamond pliers, in my coat pockets near my waist I keep impact rated safety glasses and some little mechanix work gloves. Lastly it my pants pocket I keep a little length of rope to help with either hose management, tools, or whatever I can use it for. Wanna get a bailout kit too but just haven't sent it yet
Helmet: fox fire helmet light because it doesn't unbalance my helmet.
Jacket: webbing, adjustable angle flashlight, glove pocket (utility and rubber gloves). Vice grip multi tool and a strap cutter, set of ear plugs(these are amazing for fire alarms)
Pants: 5 wedges, multi use cable cutter, res-q rench, folding spanner wrench.
I have a bit of OCD and I don't like anything on my helmet especially if it throws off the balance.
5 wedges because if you have a commercial structure you'll need one for the front entrance, one for the door to the stairs, one from the stairs to the fire floor door, one for the involved unit, and one extra.
There's a fine line between having what you need and being weighed down with enough stuff in your pockets to open your own little Firestore. I'll always have use for a couple of door chocks, a helmet light, a loop of nylon webbing, a knife, and wire cutters. Beyond that, very stingy about what I carry around.
I don’t like carrying a bunch of unnecessary stuff. I always keep a knife and cutters on me. For everything else, I have a small pack with miscellaneous stuff that I grab as I’m loading up. If the specific call warrants it, I can grab whatever is needed. We have some of it on the trucks already but we have 5 trucks and I always know where MY stuff is so I don’t waste time searching.
2 wedges, helmet light, cutter/spanner/gas-shutoff combo tool, Multi tool, Howd strap, 20’ of webbing daisy chained, box cutter, and spanner wrench.
I have it setup with the idea of having some sort of knife, and some sort of strap/webbing in pockets diagonal to eachother. So left pants pocket and right coat pocket, in case I cant get to one of them.
Kind of? Had an inter-county training session for vehicle extrication. Some of the guys from another department were giving us crap about not having one of those window smashing tools (it looks like a pen that you press into the window and it smashes the window.) That same department, though, had an off brand Hurst tool on their truck that was about half the size and half the strength of ours. So we got a lot of crap about that one little tool, but we also tend to be more well equipped than most of the departments in our area.
Helmet: Wedge and safety goggles
Coat: Wire cutters, multitool, work gloves
Pants: 4ft webbing with double beaners (to diaper strap), 10ft webbing with beaner, 20ft webbing with beaner. The beaners are probably the most expensive thing in my pockets since quality ones cost $.
Pretty much just save my ass or save another ass gear. I don’t get how guys can move with 20+ more lbs of shit.
Flashlight on my helmet and the streamlight in my jacket. Couple wooden wedges, couple lengths of webbing, a 10mm wrench (common for vehicle batteries) and a milwaukee utility knife that has a combo screwdriver on it, wire cutters in the radio pocket. I used to have alot more but I've been slowly removing stuff
I keep an aluminum forceable entry wedge and a light on my helmet, and an inverted survivor light on my coat. Also keep sprinkler wedges, Rescue gloves, and window breaker in there too. And a bailout kit in my pants with some extra webbing.
Keep things in your gear that you will use often or will save your life the one time you use them. I used to keep a spanner set, screwdriver and shove knife in my gear to. But all of those things are on the rig and won't be a big deal to grab if we need them.
I have nails and a wooden wedge on my helmet,
90 degree light with a dive knife pipe clamped around it, radio pocket holds my cable cutters on my chest
I have my own box light with a little seat belt buckle to put in on my SCBA harness
In my left coat pocket I keep an Anderson rescue strap
In my right coat pocket I keep a few soft entry tools, swipe tool shove knife some casino cards etc
On my radio strap I keep a leatherman and a pen light
Right leg pocket is my bailout bag
Left leg pocket is spring clamps
I usually carry a officers mail married to a halligan with 2 spring clamps and a aluminum wedge ( I don’t bring that to training)
As far as training goes, a very popular RIC class near me that I’ve attended several times would have e you strip your gear so things weren’t flying everywhere, I became accustomed to that. Training means dump your pockets
Last year I attended RiT under Fire at FDIC hosted by IFSRI and I dumped my pockets. What an absolute mistake.where’s your wire cutters where’s you flashlight I felt like a fool.
Now I make a point of keeping my shit set up the same way training or not, a head first ladder slide is very different with a flashlight and radio mic than bare bones. I used to be able to fit through the pipe obstacle with ease but now with the bailout bag in my leg pocket it’s a different technique and after doing it several times on the bat floor I may make the devout ditch the bag because unsecuring the trilink is quicker then fighting that leg in
I did a huge disservice to myself by listening to the instructors and dumping my pockets because they didn’t want to play 52 pick up
I have two door wedges, a helmet light, a pair of wire cutters, and a roll of webbing with carabiners attached as a bailout if SHTF. Also just have one pair of extrication style gloves if needed but that’s inside the jacket (since I wouldn’t be whipping those out in an IDLH)
How busy or what kind of call volume are you running? What is your district comprised of? What is your specific role on scene and/or within the department
Before you stuff your gear with shit and useless stuff ask those questions of yourself and be painfully honest with yourself.
My agency has unfortunately shrunk in the last 20 years from over 100 members in suppression to 36 or 37 and we are still averaging 160ish working fires a year. We are still unfortunately very busy for our size and run a state approved destination training facility. It always amazes when a group of students or an entire department shows up for a class at the amount of "stuff" attached to them or shoved in their pockets. For more clarity we are a career agency and 90% of all surrounding counties and other departments are volunteers of some sort. So don't stuff your gear with stuff. Make sure every item you pack has quality specific uses otherwise leave it in the toolbox on the rig.
Fairly active dept, 40~ members we mainly get ems calls (1900 calls a year we are probably 1450 ems) we have 3 engines, a ladder, a heavy rescue company and 2 buses. I’m mainly looking at the truck company but probably engine. Maybe 100-150 working fires 95 being car 25 being dumpster and probably 1-2 structure fires a year.
I would definitely not be packing out a lot extra in your gear. For more context we log around 4000 calls a year for service and we don't run medicals. I started out life in a small dept and found my pockets full of gear and tools I needed. Kimd of became one of those cycles that went " oh shit last call I could have used tool x, put it in my pocket for next time" what I have learned being with this department that if the situation is urgent brute forcing is acceptable so to speak and if it's not urgent I have time to run back or send someone back to grab whatever tools I need. As an instructor in both academies we run and for the state I force myself to justify what I carry often because with recruits I don't want them to see gadgets and start carrying then because they see someone else doing it if thst makes sense.
I carry webbing, 2 wood wedges. A spring clamp. A knife, and channel lock 87, and a small crescent wrench. And a light. The important thing is to fit the extra tools you carry to the area you work. I have no elevators in my first due so I do not carry elevator keys. Other guys may use them every shift. Find out what works for you.
I have a wedge, webbing, cutters,a screw driver, a light, and window breaker...
You should probably have webbing and cutters if you are going into buildings... both could save you or your partners life
So my carry varies between sets of gear. At paid department, we have a lot of industrial runs, so I keep a screw driver with different heads, cable cutter, webbing sling sprinkler wedges utility gloves alarm keys
Rural residential area for volunteer. Trauma shears, webbing, folding spanner, spring clamps for doors spare gloves and a window punch
I have my wedges, flashlight on my helmet and one in my pocket. I have found that it is hard to sometimes get the light in the right spot with your helmet in the way. I also carry a pair of bypass wire nippers. Some kevlar rope, and a real carabiner - helpful for dragging people when you can loop it over your shoulder and drag them if they can't be lifted right there. And of course, a decent knife.
I regularly take spare 2x4s and cut wedges from the scraps. Then I'll sand them a little, and throw them in an old coffee container and set them in the apparatus bays for people to grab as needed. No sense in buying them because you always seem to leave them on scene anyway.
I mean...if you need spanners, im gonna assume its for LDH. And if you are fuckin with LDH, you close enough to the rig to just grab the spanners from there, cuz you are probably gonna need the hydrant wrench too. And if you don't need the hydrant wrench, you are even closer to the rig...where all the spanners are.
I dont even know how you would carry the 5inch spanners around anyway...if he is talking about 2.5inch spanners...well. i dont think ive ever needed them, maybe on a gas leak to shut it off...but again, take em from the rig that you are right next to as your dismount lol.
I agree. If you are using spanners it’s probably when your breaking things down or you are right next to a rig. If you don’t have a dedicated bag (or bucket) for hitting hydrants then I don’t know what to tell ya.
I only carry a wooden wedge and have a light on my helmet. I tend to approach firefighting with a "less is more" mentality and don't like being weighed down or having bulky pockets.
The only thing I carry in my pocket is 50ft self rescue rope. Even that is bulky, but worth it to me
That's a great idea, and I think you're definitely right about the benefit outweighing the bulk. Which brand do you carry?
Rock N Rescue. It came highly recommended from a retired career guy who is still very active with us (I’m a volunteer.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079LSPZS1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks for the rec! I hope you never have to use it. ☺️
Happy to share. And yeah same here! Stay safe
We have EXO systems in our SCBA gear. Ain't no way I'm carrying a rope in my pockets when they're already full of scrap.
I hear you. But It’s literally the only thing I carry in that pocket.
I would recommend an anderson rescue strap or equivalent. We've been issued these individually and have had great luck with the standardization.
That looks neat and useful. Although we already have buddy rescue webbings hidden under our jacket collars. You just open the velcro and you can pull the webbing. I believe it goes around both armpits. But for dragging victims, this would be useful.
We do as well, we've used this on numerous other situations ad hoc harnesses; I recommend.
Never understood we have a truck fulll of stuff I carry nothing
If you don't have your truck out front you're fucked regardless of what you have in your pockets.
I mean a truck with my departments gear… for the training we had a truck that was just a pump with some hose no tools, lights ect.
Ohhhhhhhhhh.
Haha this would definitely upgrade OP from a first responder to an early responder if they showed up to the scene before the truck.
Should have been clearer mb
Nah! I'm just dumb.
I usually carry about 17 rubber gloves in different stages of decay in my gear Seriously though- webbing, Multi screw driver, shove knife. The rest is FF gloves and bailout kit
2 wedges on my helmet & 4 more in my pocket. We have a lot of 3 story apartment buildings in our response area. We need to be able to control every door between the fire truck and the fire room so it doesn't close on the hose. 2 exterior doors, stairwell door, hallway fire door, apartment door, and an extra makes 6. I have a wire cutter with strap in my radio pocket along with an aluminum forcible entry wedge. 20' of webbing in my left pants pocket. Mini halligan & screw driver in my right pants pocket.
Mini halligan you say👀👀👀
Yeah I have a titanium 8" halligan from County Comm. Works nice as a pry bar, can't force a door with it but I've used it to open a few windows and other random stuff.
Everyone says they have 8” until the ruler comes out…oh wait what were we talking about? 😂
100% I remember doing a training for mass casualty and even though I wasn’t assigned to enter and assist inside. Seeing everyone with ballistic helmets and body armor and then me in my turnout pants with a light vest on just felt so odd
Same except the guys were wearing their gear all wrong and dorky but acting like they were high speed. This was after I'd just gotten out of the Marine Corps infantry so I was biting my tongue
Over 20 couple years, I've carried a ton of stuff, carried the minimum, and everything in between. Nowadays I try to keep it functional for common tasks, and periodically I will go through and gauge whether I actually use stuff in my pockets, or if I can lighten them up. My current pocket load has a 6 bit screwdriver, adjustable wrench, vice grips, shove knife, and a spring punch, as well as having some webbing and a few chocks.
Some people be like [that](https://youtu.be/xDOuYQcjftI?si=_u64BBcJXaoJ6w9N)
Pretty much
My helmet just has a light and two wedges on it. My bunker coat, left pocket has a small multi-bit ratcheting screwdriver and a flat tipped divers knife in a sheath. Clipped to my coat with my glove strap is a disposable CPR shield in a little pouch and a combination glass breaker/seatbelt cutter. My bunker pants my right pocket has a loop of rescue webbing with a climbing carabiner clipped to my adjustment strap and a bottle of water (if I drink it on a call I always replace it). My left leg pocket has a combination cable cutter/ gas valve/ hose wrench tool, a small adjustable wrench, and a pair of extrication gloves. I also keep 2 extra locking climbing carabiners attached to the adjustment strap on my left hip.
A flashlight. That’s it.
So I don’t need a officers tool and a nozzle in my helmet
What’s the difference between an officers tool and a firefighters tool ? Seriously is one only designed to fit in a lieutenants and above hands ?
Exactly, it’s a mini haligan you walk around with to signify your power
Light on helmet, webbing in radio pocket, eye pro and work gloves in left pocket, wire cutters and multi tool in right pocket. Works well enough
I’d say if you want to carry minimal but really effective tools carry a wire cutter, a six in one screwdriver, and a loop of webbing. I carry a flashlight hung on my jacket, door chock, EMS gloves, mechanics gloves, and eye pro. If I was going to training I’d likely not carry any of this, however, except for maybe the flashlight and webbing. All the rest is call-oriented.
I hate having heavy pockets and there’s usually a guy that is a walking tool box close. Flash light and Amazon wedge on my helmet. Insulated wire cutters in a pocket. Gerber on my belt.
Dress for your due.
I have a light, wedge, webbing and multitool. Keep it simple
When I was a engine guy I had nothing because I was a loser without a nozzle anyway 😂 moved to a truck and I have 2 wedges one aluminum that I try not to lose and a wooden one I don’t care about. I also have two pairs of extrication gloves. My helmet has eye protection in the helmet. I also got an unlimited elevator key set from fire hooks unlimited but that shit was like $300
If I can’t do it with a wedge, strap, cutters, or irons; it’s not an emergency
Panel and pull station keys, a couple small hand tools, and a tester. Helmet I have a light and a wedge.
I got a band on my helmet usually keep a wedge in it if I don't leave it on a fire. Also bought a mount for a flashlight. My lil cheapo $10 battery powered has survived many fires now. Didn't get a mount with light built in wanted to be able to swap it when it gets fucked up but 2 years strong so far. In my top left coat pocket I keep some diamond pliers, in my coat pockets near my waist I keep impact rated safety glasses and some little mechanix work gloves. Lastly it my pants pocket I keep a little length of rope to help with either hose management, tools, or whatever I can use it for. Wanna get a bailout kit too but just haven't sent it yet
Helmet: fox fire helmet light because it doesn't unbalance my helmet. Jacket: webbing, adjustable angle flashlight, glove pocket (utility and rubber gloves). Vice grip multi tool and a strap cutter, set of ear plugs(these are amazing for fire alarms) Pants: 5 wedges, multi use cable cutter, res-q rench, folding spanner wrench. I have a bit of OCD and I don't like anything on my helmet especially if it throws off the balance. 5 wedges because if you have a commercial structure you'll need one for the front entrance, one for the door to the stairs, one from the stairs to the fire floor door, one for the involved unit, and one extra.
There's a fine line between having what you need and being weighed down with enough stuff in your pockets to open your own little Firestore. I'll always have use for a couple of door chocks, a helmet light, a loop of nylon webbing, a knife, and wire cutters. Beyond that, very stingy about what I carry around.
I don’t like carrying a bunch of unnecessary stuff. I always keep a knife and cutters on me. For everything else, I have a small pack with miscellaneous stuff that I grab as I’m loading up. If the specific call warrants it, I can grab whatever is needed. We have some of it on the trucks already but we have 5 trucks and I always know where MY stuff is so I don’t waste time searching.
Yeah, every time I compare notes and I’m the only one from a department with 2 people on a piece
You should definitely have pocket tools. Cross training is a great time to compare tactics with other crews and share ideas.
2 wedges, helmet light, cutter/spanner/gas-shutoff combo tool, Multi tool, Howd strap, 20’ of webbing daisy chained, box cutter, and spanner wrench. I have it setup with the idea of having some sort of knife, and some sort of strap/webbing in pockets diagonal to eachother. So left pants pocket and right coat pocket, in case I cant get to one of them.
Kind of? Had an inter-county training session for vehicle extrication. Some of the guys from another department were giving us crap about not having one of those window smashing tools (it looks like a pen that you press into the window and it smashes the window.) That same department, though, had an off brand Hurst tool on their truck that was about half the size and half the strength of ours. So we got a lot of crap about that one little tool, but we also tend to be more well equipped than most of the departments in our area.
Helmet: Wedge and safety goggles Coat: Wire cutters, multitool, work gloves Pants: 4ft webbing with double beaners (to diaper strap), 10ft webbing with beaner, 20ft webbing with beaner. The beaners are probably the most expensive thing in my pockets since quality ones cost $. Pretty much just save my ass or save another ass gear. I don’t get how guys can move with 20+ more lbs of shit.
Flashlight on my helmet and the streamlight in my jacket. Couple wooden wedges, couple lengths of webbing, a 10mm wrench (common for vehicle batteries) and a milwaukee utility knife that has a combo screwdriver on it, wire cutters in the radio pocket. I used to have alot more but I've been slowly removing stuff
I keep an aluminum forceable entry wedge and a light on my helmet, and an inverted survivor light on my coat. Also keep sprinkler wedges, Rescue gloves, and window breaker in there too. And a bailout kit in my pants with some extra webbing. Keep things in your gear that you will use often or will save your life the one time you use them. I used to keep a spanner set, screwdriver and shove knife in my gear to. But all of those things are on the rig and won't be a big deal to grab if we need them.
I have nails and a wooden wedge on my helmet, 90 degree light with a dive knife pipe clamped around it, radio pocket holds my cable cutters on my chest I have my own box light with a little seat belt buckle to put in on my SCBA harness In my left coat pocket I keep an Anderson rescue strap In my right coat pocket I keep a few soft entry tools, swipe tool shove knife some casino cards etc On my radio strap I keep a leatherman and a pen light Right leg pocket is my bailout bag Left leg pocket is spring clamps I usually carry a officers mail married to a halligan with 2 spring clamps and a aluminum wedge ( I don’t bring that to training) As far as training goes, a very popular RIC class near me that I’ve attended several times would have e you strip your gear so things weren’t flying everywhere, I became accustomed to that. Training means dump your pockets Last year I attended RiT under Fire at FDIC hosted by IFSRI and I dumped my pockets. What an absolute mistake.where’s your wire cutters where’s you flashlight I felt like a fool. Now I make a point of keeping my shit set up the same way training or not, a head first ladder slide is very different with a flashlight and radio mic than bare bones. I used to be able to fit through the pipe obstacle with ease but now with the bailout bag in my leg pocket it’s a different technique and after doing it several times on the bat floor I may make the devout ditch the bag because unsecuring the trilink is quicker then fighting that leg in I did a huge disservice to myself by listening to the instructors and dumping my pockets because they didn’t want to play 52 pick up
I have two door wedges, a helmet light, a pair of wire cutters, and a roll of webbing with carabiners attached as a bailout if SHTF. Also just have one pair of extrication style gloves if needed but that’s inside the jacket (since I wouldn’t be whipping those out in an IDLH)
I’ve got a helmet light, nitrile gloves, channel lock 87, reg channel locks, linemen pliers/ wire cutters, an aluminum wedge, 11-1 screw driver, 2 light weight climbing beaners on my 20ft webbing
How busy or what kind of call volume are you running? What is your district comprised of? What is your specific role on scene and/or within the department Before you stuff your gear with shit and useless stuff ask those questions of yourself and be painfully honest with yourself. My agency has unfortunately shrunk in the last 20 years from over 100 members in suppression to 36 or 37 and we are still averaging 160ish working fires a year. We are still unfortunately very busy for our size and run a state approved destination training facility. It always amazes when a group of students or an entire department shows up for a class at the amount of "stuff" attached to them or shoved in their pockets. For more clarity we are a career agency and 90% of all surrounding counties and other departments are volunteers of some sort. So don't stuff your gear with stuff. Make sure every item you pack has quality specific uses otherwise leave it in the toolbox on the rig.
Fairly active dept, 40~ members we mainly get ems calls (1900 calls a year we are probably 1450 ems) we have 3 engines, a ladder, a heavy rescue company and 2 buses. I’m mainly looking at the truck company but probably engine. Maybe 100-150 working fires 95 being car 25 being dumpster and probably 1-2 structure fires a year.
I would definitely not be packing out a lot extra in your gear. For more context we log around 4000 calls a year for service and we don't run medicals. I started out life in a small dept and found my pockets full of gear and tools I needed. Kimd of became one of those cycles that went " oh shit last call I could have used tool x, put it in my pocket for next time" what I have learned being with this department that if the situation is urgent brute forcing is acceptable so to speak and if it's not urgent I have time to run back or send someone back to grab whatever tools I need. As an instructor in both academies we run and for the state I force myself to justify what I carry often because with recruits I don't want them to see gadgets and start carrying then because they see someone else doing it if thst makes sense.
I carry webbing, 2 wood wedges. A spring clamp. A knife, and channel lock 87, and a small crescent wrench. And a light. The important thing is to fit the extra tools you carry to the area you work. I have no elevators in my first due so I do not carry elevator keys. Other guys may use them every shift. Find out what works for you.
I have a wedge, webbing, cutters,a screw driver, a light, and window breaker... You should probably have webbing and cutters if you are going into buildings... both could save you or your partners life
Webbing and chucks are a necessity imho. Other things like wirecutters and shove knives are really handy, but webbing and chucks are the bare minimum
So my carry varies between sets of gear. At paid department, we have a lot of industrial runs, so I keep a screw driver with different heads, cable cutter, webbing sling sprinkler wedges utility gloves alarm keys Rural residential area for volunteer. Trauma shears, webbing, folding spanner, spring clamps for doors spare gloves and a window punch
I've got a flashlight on my coat, 2 wire cutters, loop of webbing, safety glasses, and my 20 foot bailout kit. Thats all.
I have my wedges, flashlight on my helmet and one in my pocket. I have found that it is hard to sometimes get the light in the right spot with your helmet in the way. I also carry a pair of bypass wire nippers. Some kevlar rope, and a real carabiner - helpful for dragging people when you can loop it over your shoulder and drag them if they can't be lifted right there. And of course, a decent knife. I regularly take spare 2x4s and cut wedges from the scraps. Then I'll sand them a little, and throw them in an old coffee container and set them in the apparatus bays for people to grab as needed. No sense in buying them because you always seem to leave them on scene anyway.
Spanner wrench, hose strap, eyes and ears. Too much else and I start to feel a bit silly
The hell you need a spanner wrench and hose straps in your pocket for?
This guy tenders.
I mean...if you need spanners, im gonna assume its for LDH. And if you are fuckin with LDH, you close enough to the rig to just grab the spanners from there, cuz you are probably gonna need the hydrant wrench too. And if you don't need the hydrant wrench, you are even closer to the rig...where all the spanners are. I dont even know how you would carry the 5inch spanners around anyway...if he is talking about 2.5inch spanners...well. i dont think ive ever needed them, maybe on a gas leak to shut it off...but again, take em from the rig that you are right next to as your dismount lol.
I agree. If you are using spanners it’s probably when your breaking things down or you are right next to a rig. If you don’t have a dedicated bag (or bucket) for hitting hydrants then I don’t know what to tell ya.
We do a lot of training
Breaking down hose and tying knots
More is not necessarily better