Uniforms - How should we dress for the heat?

[n0ssb]

I recommend TuBe tops or Bikini Tops for the Girls if nice looking and short shorts or a micro mini-again has to look nice, nice legs--If Not Coveralls for the females--

Guys--Speedo's if buff and a t-shirt--for the female patients of course and are just shorts and t-shirt... 8) 8) 8) 8)

[spenac]

Guess I should have placed this in the funny section based on the help most have given.

Just doesn't seem that funny today with us above 120 degrees. Black boots, black pants, all dark clothing cooks you in the heat. When I was a fire fighter we used a temp sensor on our black bunkers and our tan bunkers. The black was almost 20 degrees hotter even when tested in the shade. Dark colors are bad news. But when we suggest lighter colors people start well you'll see all the blood and dirt. Well if it's dirty change clothes, don't just hide it.

I would like to see someone come out with a desert tan medic pant. Then couple that with a high quality light color scrub top and desert tan side zip duty boots we could be comfortable and still look professional.

[Medic65]

Underarmor FTW! Short sleeves, light color shirt

[Dustdevil]

I would like to see someone come out with a desert tan medic pant. Then couple that with a high quality light color scrub top and desert tan side zip duty boots we could be comfortable and still look professional.

They will make them by special order, or en masse if there is enough demand. Used to be you could only get navy and black EMS pants, but now enough large services have gone to grey that it is now also manufactured regularly. Somebody must be making green EMS pants, because Acadian is wearing them, so again, it just takes asking a manufacturer.

The local flight service in Dallas used to wear khaki flight suits, and in the summer many of them would opt for khaki flight pants (pretty much the same as EMS pants) with white Polo shirts. Yeah, they cost about $70 bucks a pair (or twice that if Nomex), but hey, a lot of wool cop pants cost twice that, so it's not out of the question.

I'd be willing to bet that a place like www.aspenmills.com would make up a batch of khaki pants without a lot of convincing or extra cost. Even if you only have ten or twelve guys, at four pair each, plus maybe some exrta "on-hand" pair for new hires, you could come up with a reasonable order. Any larger agency shouldn't have any problem at all.

But seriously, why do they even have to be EMS pants? Most of the people I see wearing them aren't even utilising their features anyhow. I'm just as happy -- and much better looking -- in a nice pair of khaki Dockers and a scissor/pen/penlight pouch on my belt, and they cost half as much as good EMS pants too.

I have never understood why so many agencies FAIL to even consider thinking outside the box when choosing uniforms.

[CBEMT]

First two pairs of pants I ever wore in EMS were Dockers.

They lasted me 3 months. One of them ripped right down the seat during a sheet transfer. :oops:

[jsadin]

CB, that's funny because my first EMS pants were Dockers. Yeah, I destroyed them pretty quick too. I can get over a year out of a pair of Elbeco's. I don't find the twill too hot in the summer, but it ain't 120F in Mass either.

[explenture]

Under Armour...we get to wear polos F/SA/SU now to fall.

[AZCEP]

Hydration cannot be over emphasized. This coming from 28 years living in the desert southwest with summer highs easily over 130 on the asphalt. Leave the carbonated/caffeinated beverages alone, or only in strict moderation. Drink enough so you are peeing clear, and you won't falter quite as quickly.

The cooling bandanas are also a good idea, if a bit ungainly. Dark uniforms suck, there is just no way around it. Long pants will actually help you to repel some of the heat, and offer better protection from direct sunlight and other assorted nasties. Second degree burns on the knees suck worse than black pants. Under Armour in light colors works pretty well, and there are a number of manufacturers that make shorts/shirts out of similar material that are quite helpful.

[ncmedic309]

We just made the jump from the average low to mid 80's for a high temp up to near 100 degrees for the upcoming weekend - summer is here - no doubt about it. We still have to wear the same pants, uniform shirts and boots - and it's miserable.