EMT Clothing

[NREMT-Basic]

I carry a center punch in a pouch on my belt....I cant even count the number of times i have used it there have been so many....I say if an EMT or medic can carry what they feel like they need and not be encumbered to the point of inhibiting performance. But...for one person to be able to say.here is what you need and nothing else, is ridiculous....i once pulled a 24 and went of 5 mvas and needed that punch every damn time. So to each his own and the only whacker is the one who calls people whackers so I guess we know who that is.

[Ridryder 911]

Window punch 5 straight times... hmm I smell something here. ! Might want to read my credibly post..

R/r 911

[Dustdevil]

I carry a center punch in a pouch on my belt....I cant even count the number of times i have used it there have been so many... <snip> i once pulled a 24 and went of 5 mvas and needed that punch every damn time.

PUHLEEZE... :bs:

I've needed to bust a window maybe twice at most over the last thirty years. It's damn rare indeed that ALL of the doors on a vehicle are locked, no windows were broken in the impact, and nobody inside is conscious. The odds are just astronomical for it to happen five times in a day for one medic unit. If you had to bust windows on five vehicles during one shift, I have to seriously question how well you checked the doors or windows before you started whipping that punch out of your holster.

This is a prime example of why basics should not be given "more protocol" and "more skills." They tend to be too eager to utilise their shiny new tool when it is not indicated.

[Just Plain Ruff]

BushyfromOz, step away from the koolaid and get your knickers back out of their bunch.

If you would have read all the posts you would have seen that several of us have said to carry what you need to do the job.

Tell us all in your non-attitudinal way when the last time you used those tweezers and hemostats besides on yourself.

No-one ever suggested a trauma pack on your volunteer days made you a whacker.

Tell me also when the last time you used the leatherman?

No-one ever accused you of being a whacker, YOU did.

[BushyFromOz]

Im about to buy a window punch for my job - does that make me a whacker?

i got in one convenient little pouch, a bit bigger than a thermomug that like i said stays in the truck unless i think i need it...

trauma shears

scissors

mini maglight

tweezers

leatherman - i dont know why i have that actually - but the little scredwiver has come in handy

Stethoscope - if im the treating officer i put this in my access pack

Kelly forceps

Probably a window punch (and yes i will use it.....)

the only thing i carry on my person is a penlight, pen, notepad and my mobile phone

so again people...am i whacker?

[mtnsldr]

Lol, I've punched as many windows (EMS related MVA windows to be specific) in a year as a firefighter as Dustoff has in 30!

There really is a difference it seems, depending on where you live. In the rural area I live in we see MVA's quite often that require punching windows and removing the vic by removing the roof of the vehicle, or removing parts of the vehicle to get them out. Went to an MVA where it was laying on its side, the rear door was accessible but only to put an EMT in, not to get the vic out. Had to punch the windshield (no punch available, so we used a sledge off the truck) and cut the roof off. I think we're going to get different loadsets based upon what kind of incidents you see consistantly, and that is what should dictate your equipment requirements.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Let me ask a question - does a centerpunch actually work with a windshield, I was taught in my extrication courses that a centerpunch will not work on a windshield due to the laminate between the glass panes. I've always seen the FD cutting the windshield with a saw tool of some sort.

Or did I miss something in that extrication class.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Bushy, no one is calling you a whacker, you keep bringing it up but here's your list and I'll try to answer your questions

trauma shears - definately not a whacker but if you have more than one pair you are carrying then maybe you are.

scissors - sounds like overkill with a 2nd set of scissors

mini maglight - works as a penlight so no not whacker material

tweezers - when did you use them last - if you use them regularly then no whackerdom there but if you cannot remember the last time you used them then yes sign of a whacker

leatherman - i dont know why i have that actually - but the little scredwiver has come in handy - what do you need a screwdriver for in ems?

Stethoscope - if im the treating officer i put this in my access pack - integral part of your equipment so no whacker part there

Kelly forceps - again when is the last time you used these? if you use them regularly then you are not a whacker but if you cannot remember the last time you used them then it's probably time to stop carrying them

Probably a window punch (and yes i will use it.....) - If you are going to use the centerpunch regularly then you are not a whacker but why not put that piece of equipment in your trauma pack because at every MVA you will take that trauma pack with you.

So if you regularly use the above then no you aren't a whacker - We are calling the people who have every little new fangled gizmo on their belt and pockets in their uniforms. Like every size hemostat, center punch, 3 pairs of scissors, 2 pagers, 2 cell phones, 1 radio and whatever else they can get from Galls or whoever. Those are the whackers we are referring to.

Listen, it all boils down to one thing, a professional appearance, someone with all that extraneous crap on their belts, pant pockets and shirt pockets does not to many on this forum nor to many in their own service promote a professional appearance. If you have all that stuff on your person how professional does it make you look?

Granted, I was one of those whackers when I was a noob but I was also very devoted to patient care, devoted to the company and would do any call requried of me without bitc(*)ing. I would come back and say "thank you ma'am can I have another" and work every overtime shift available to me. I said it was to "increase my experience" yet in the end like I said in my previous post - I came to my senses and my partner said good to have you normal.

Carry what you need but don't go overkill and carry stuff you never will need. Just how many hemostats do you need, really????

[NREMT-Basic]

What Id like to know and have been wondering for some time is promoted Ruff to be the Whacker-Sherriff? Youre not offering good information, you are downgrading anyone who doesnt do things as you do or would do them. I carry but do not always wear, a trauma belt, which has a pack on it along with alot of other equipment. Maybe I wont need it but I would rather not have to go looking for it during an extrication or disentaglment. Is a centerpunch needed on a cardiac call...I hope not. Is it needed on EVERY MVC...probably not...but as I say I dont want to have to go back looking for the damn thing when I need it. So I have a carefully packed trauma belt, which hangs over the back of my seat and is taken down and put on when we run on a trauma. I think this makes good sense. I also carry a hard hat (not provided by my service) which I often wear at extrication involved MVCs. As for things like radio holsters, I would rather have one on than drop that nifty little $500 motorola and have it come out of my next two paychecks. I guess I just wonder who put you in charge of deciding what makes someone a whacker and what doesnt. It seems to be the biggest whackers are the ones judging others and how they choose to do their jobs.

[BushyFromOz]

Ruffems

The point i was trying to make (and a rather poor effort it was though) was that just becaus somone chooses to have a piece of kit that is different from the norm, or not what you personally carry, it does not necessarily make them a whacker - theres a lot of blanket coverage going on here that if you dont need it, then no one else does either

Someone said it somewheres else theres a lot of "its my way or the highway"

Now dust (no attack mate - i just dont have the brains at the moment to come up with a better example ) said that in 30 years hes only used a punch a couple on car wrecks, i did 3 alone on sunday...but because i have a different circumstance it makes me a whacker? or anyone else a whacker?

i just figured it out, its assessment week, im tireded, running on empty and im a bit cranky!

sorry... :oops: :shock: :x