Personal equipment/your "uniform"

[Aeromedic]

My Service issues the following:

Pants (usually 2 pairs a year, I've ripped a few, blown a few buttons, so I have gone through 10 in 2 years, have 6 right now)

Uniform Shirts (usually 2 per year, but because I don't live in town or have laundry here, I have 10 to compensate for the up to 6 24 hour shifts I'll work)

T-shirts (for night calls/undershirt so you can strip off a contaminated white uniform shirt, 3 for me, 2 for everybody else (again, because of laundry/amount of shifts I pull))

Long Sleeve T-Shirt (see above)

3 in 1 Jacket (good to -40 (because we need it here), not technically "yours" but sized to you, left at station in case other casual needs it, I'm an odd size so nobody else wears mine, worth about $700)

And that is it. I supply my own duty belt (leather, not the 2 piece style), boots (Danner Acadia steel toe), shears, scope, pens, notepads, etc... TBH, I think every service should have a good supply of pens available for staff, as I seem to go through a few, and they're cheap to buy in bulk. As for our rig we are VERY well taken care of. 2 KEDs, Stryker Power stretcher, Stryker uber stair chair (with creepers), LP15 with BP/SP02 and our unit is a 2009 Demers Mystere III on a Chevy 3500 duramax diesel chassis. We are talking about having a $250 boot/gear allowance every 2 years for the active staff.

The reason all of our gear is top notch is because we are run by a Volunteer group. We are "owned" by the Lions Club, so we are not for profit. The money we make goes back into gear. We tend to keep units for 3-4 years and then trade up for something else.

[Richard B the EMT]

In the FDNY EMS Command, the uniform is assigned, but the member is responsible for regular cleaning. Said uniform issue, for EMTs and Paramedics, is as follows:

5 sets trousers +

5 Long sleeve uniform shirts, with appropriate department and level of training patches +

5 short sleeve pullover "golf shirts" * +

1 pair boots **

1 pair imitation Patent leather dress shoes

2 different style inch and a half leather belts with square silver buckles

1 "Work Jacket" with removable thermal liner +

1 plastic "Fire Helmet" (Bullard)

1 set "Turnout Jacket" and "Turnout Pants" (Morning Star brand) to BBP standards

1 light blue long sleeve uniform shirt, with appropriate department and level of training patches

1 light blue short sleeve uniform shirt, with appropriate department and level of training patches

1 Clip on Long Tie +

1 Single breasted dress jacket, referred to as a "blouse", with appropriate department and level of training patches +

1 "Dress Trench Coat" raincoat, with appropriate department and level of training patches +

1 "Bell Cap" with Star of Life front device. +

1 Baseball Cap with FDNY patch on front +

4 silver Star of Life collar pins, with FDNY superimposed over them.

1 "Firematic" style badge with member's department number and level of training (for carry and ID, not for dress uniform display)

* Members who still have them, are allowed to wear the short sleeve uniform shirts, with appropriate department and level of training patches +

** Style of BBP resistant boots are in a review for change of brand and style

+ Item is Navy Blue in color

EMTs and Paramedics wear the light blue shirts as dress uniform, or if assigned in the academy or in headquarters. Lieutenants wear light blue duty shirts, and white for dress uniform, with double breasted dress jackets, Captains and Chiefs wear white dress style shirts at all times, with the tie.

At their own expense, members may have approved "station patches", or a US Flag patch (Not both! I got ordered to remove one or the other by a division chief)) on the right sleeve of their work jackets, dress jackets, and the Trench Coat, instead of level of training patches. In cooler weather, members are allowed to wear one of 2 styles of Navy Blue Fire Department approved "Work Shirts" on the job, over the uniform of the day shirt.

Socks will be black. (referring back to a different string, most times, if the socks are completely covered by the trouser legs or PPE boots, nobody seems to care if they wear a cartoon design sock)

(Members wear dark blue or white T-Shirts when wearing open collars on the uniform of the day)

A mention that the BBP Turnouts and boots run close to $500.00 USD total, alone.The Golf Shirts are silk screened to read FDNY EMT, or FDNY Paramedic.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Richard B the EMT

[Don1977]

I just got 3 new shirts and 3 new pairs of pants last week, only the 3 rd time in my 8 1/2 years there I have gotten new ones, but the are junk, the buttons fell off, zipper broke...got a hole in the side of the one. I was using my old pairs that I have had for 5 years til last week when one the zipper broke and the other 3 belt loops ripped off.

Oh and Polyester shirts suck in the summer......

[+medic]

When I was in the Air Force as a mechanic with the added job of First Responder I was issued

Full neon green reflective vest for use on the flight line instead of the standard refelctive belt.

Full Military First Responce Bag with 02 bottle

Extra Pair of sage green ABU boots

Extra Warm all weather ABU jacket

Standard issue helment

Gas mask w/ case

I was the only person in the whole Air Craft Maintainer unit to have Blue lights on his military work vehicle.

These days since I have no job I only have a pair of EMT pants and EMT T-shirt for the times when I get a vol shift here and there.

[StickyEMT]

Our city supplies us with a jump kit (you're lucky if it's not all outdated and it's still filled with LATEX gloves,) a windbreaker, and a winter-type coat. While I am VERY appreciative of what has been given to us, I wish that we could supply us with more useful things like even just a t-shirt and pants so that we could look more professional. A lot of times the EMT's show up in jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes....and that's on a good day!

[burntfromcommercial]

In my rural department I got 2 t-shirts when I started and have gotten 2 polo shirts in 6 years. They will reimberse you for 1 pair of pants. Anything extra the department orders every year or 2 and pays for 1/2. that includes jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies and job shirts. We have 2 sets of turnout jackets and helmets in each ambulance.

In my urban commercial department we are issued name tags, jackets and knit hats once. Then we get 2 shirts and 2 pants twice a year.......ish.

[Bernhard]

If you're interested: here in Germany the law is to have full protection gear issued by the organization/company, if paid or volunteer, large city or rural. A public accident prevention & insurance association's regulation specifies this gear (see "GUV-R 2106", linked PDF in german language but includes some pictures). However, this seems not to be known in all services...

My rural volunteer service with 24/7 non-transporting first responder unit, event standby medical service and disaster response finally gots rather good on this and issues:

• sweat shirt, white, long-sleeve (large logo with branch name on back, smaller logo with branch name on front)
• polo shirt, white, short sleeve (large logo with branch name on back, smaller logo with branch name on front)
• BDU style trousers, water-repellent (good for warm weather conditions), grey, white reflective stripe on lower leg
• BDU style trousers, climatic membrane (good for cold weather conditions), grey, white reflective stripe on lower leg
• leather belt, black
• jacket, red with reflective stripes (large logo with branch name on back, logo patches on shoulders, small certification level patch on chest), with detachable sleeves and grey inner vest - the inner vest can be worn seperately but looks ugly (we may change to good looking inner fleece vests in red with logo, wearing test starts soon, financial calculation in progress)
• baseball cap with Goretex membrane, red (small logo patch on front) - ideal for wet or sunny conditions
• fleece cap, red (small logo on front) - for cold conditions
• working gloves
• helmet (german standard, fire helmet), glowing yellow, logo on front and back
• boots with protective steel cap and sole, oil resistant, slip-proof, covering at least over the ankles
• adhesive logo patch for the private vehicle's inner windshield (allows parking near the station)
• dress shirt, blue, long-sleeve (logo patches on both shoulders)

Depending on call volume (first responder vs. disaster response unit vs. event standby) there were issued one or more of the above. One person sums up between 350 EUR (medical standby, mostly only one of the above) up to nearly 800 EUR (first responder team members, high call volume -> several shirts and pants). First responders and members of the disaster response team are required to have at least one set of the above in the station. Cleaning and small repair is up to the member, replacement by the service when needed/on request.

Protective gear like BSI gloves (each member is advised to have several pairs in the pants/jacket), anti-infection suit and mask is on the ambulance, as well as high visibility jackets and two protective shields for the helmets. We think of buying safety glasses for each first responder, since reality showed, that those two protective shields stored in the ambulance are only put on at excercises...

Those responding with the first responder team and the disaster response unit are issued with pagers. Some years ago, each member was given an own stethoscope, trauma scissors, tourniquet and diagnostic lamp (additional to those on the vehicles). This faded out because loss was high and usage was not so common (most forgot them in the station). Now, if someone really wants an own stethoscope he may get one, but it's not issued any more as a rule.

Officials and flag delegation are issued a dress uniform additionally (black socks and shoes from own property). Others would go with above even on formal events - doesn't happen often enough to issue a full dress uniform to every member. They may purchase their own, but I don't think anyone does.

We started first responding with white plastic jackets and orange jump suits, both a real pain in summer and not good enough in winter plus questionable protection level. Above dress code is valid since two years here and now we're looking good in any condition, it meets all relevant safety standards and could be used in any of our duties, thus making logistics easy. For every thing at least one "second source" exists now (we have had bad experience with "special" clothing manufacturers).

Link to a picture of our dress (but imagine white sweat shirt and black safety shoes).

Our county career EMS issues state wide pool clothing instead of individual clothing (white polo and sweat shirt, red trousers, red jackets from the shelf at the stations to put on at shift start, cleaning/replacing by a contracted company) and a standard money check for buying own protective shoes. No individual helmets or working gloves but some stored on the ambulance (questionable size fitting...).See this picture (not my county, but it's statewide in this organization anyway).

Edited June 17, 2011 by Bernhard

[Vorenus]

If you're interested: here in Germany the law is to have full protection gear issued by the organization/company, if paid or volunteer, large city or rural. A public accident prevention & insurance association's regulation specifies this gear (see "GUV-R 2106", linked PDF in german language but includes some pictures). However, this seems not to be known in all services...

Tell me about it... the volunteer force that is attached to our station (rapid disaster response group, as well as child programms, etc. ) has pants that approve the specific regulations - on the contrary, ours don`t (theirs have two reflective stripes on their pants, ours have only one - according to the regulations, two are needed).

Edited June 23, 2011 by Vorenus

[ali.n.348]

• my squad gave me turn out gear an a jumpsuit as far as other things i got a tee shirt if they had my size a polo an patches for the jumpsuit and that was about it beside a pager an a tag for your car if u asked for one
  

[Just Plain Ruff]

This is what my company gave me as a sign on bonus.

It was awesome.

http://robbreport.com/Fashion/21-Ultimate-Gifts-Fit-for-a-Gentleman