What Do You Carry On Your Person?

[akroeze]

Ya, we tried those, they don’t last long on our mean streets, still a few floating around, but what do you do, when they break off?

-w

How many calls do you run in a shift?

-w

Service I used to work at: 2-3/24hr

Service I placed at for schooling: 5-6/12hr

[EMS49393]

I've never had one break off, they're very secure, and the cylinders also have a protective steel handle around the components. Should one break, we carry three portables, I'll simply change it out and report it damaged.

I work on some pretty mean ghetto streets, averaging 8-14 patients in 12 hours. I treat my equipment like my patients, with respect. The more things we break, the more we have to buy, and the more my raise dwindles.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Ya, we tried those, they don’t last long on our mean streets, still a few floating around, but what do you do, when they break off?

-w

How many calls do you run in a shift?

-w

Id have to agree with 493.

They are very secure, with similar construction makeup to the conventional regulators.

However, i would respect and expect that question from the guy who sells o2 wrenches.

[AnthonyM83]

There's an O2 wrench attached to all of the unit keys. Besides that, it was busy enough that we always left the portable "charged." Does anyone actually unpressurized their regulators between calls?

We NEVER leave the portable "unpressurized/closed"...that's just asking for more hassle on-scene with a critical patient and two EMTs. FD keeps theirs closed, though, but they carry a whole O2 bag about the size of our jump kit with wrench attached to it.

WE (ambulance) have a metal wrench on the key chain and plastic ones in the back of the rig and sometimes first-on bag. Ambulance keys left in ignition during almost all 911 calls (so engine stays running and other emergency personnel can repark it if necessary).

[WANTYNU]

OK here’s another one of my two for one post answers:

They are very secure, with similar construction makeup to the conventional regulators.

However, i would respect and expect that question from the guy who sells o2 wrenches.

Well I can understand your skepticism, and to be honest I did enter this discussion with a “tongue in cheek” post.

However, two things,

A LOT (I’m still trying to find out how many) of the stamped metal or plastic O2 keys are still being made, and sold. So there must be a demand (I hope anyway). :wink: Most folks in the NY and NJ area HAVE to use some form of wrench, so ( for this area anyway) you can conclude 1 of two scenarios; 1 the tanks have no toggle and need a wrench, 2 the toggles fall off.

As for the toggles, they fall off, I have seen many, many tanks with the tell tale pin hole whole where the roll pin and handle used to be, and have found more than one “escaped” toggle running loose in the bottom of our O2 bag.

As a side note, I sail a good amount and if you ever want to study good rigging and knots look at a sail boat. When you do, you will NEVER find a simple roll pin lever or hinge, as the roll pins will loosen and fall out (at the time when you need them most, thank you uncle Murphy). Every pin type anchor or shackle is secured with a threaded rod and cotter pin, or at least a cotter pin.

Since you work in an urban environment, you must have multi-floor dwellings, I’m sure you don’t carry three tanks with you to every job. (and please show enough respect not to say well you check the bag before every call)… We all check (or should check) our rig and equipment at the start of the tour, and restock after every job as needed, but if you have any reasonable job volume, I’m sure you don't open your bag and check it BEFORE each run. What do you do if the pin falls out in route to the patient?

We NEVER leave the portable "unpressurized/closed"...that's just asking for more hassle on-scene with a critical patient and two EMTs. FD keeps theirs closed, though, but they carry a whole O2 bag about the size of our jump kit with wrench attached to it.

WE (ambulance) have a metal wrench on the key chain and plastic ones in the back of the rig and sometimes first-on bag.

Ever had one (plastic O2 wrench) break on you?

Ambulance keys left in ignition during almost all 911 calls (so engine stays running and other emergency personnel can repark it if necessary).

We keep the bus running, but use a kill switch so we can take the keys out the ignition.

In my part of town, you don’t want someone moving the ambulance without knowing who you've given the keys to. :?

Be Safe,

WANTYNU

[JPINFV]

Ever had one (plastic O2 wrench) break on you?

No, but the service I worked for used 75+% metal O2 wrenches. What is maddening, though, is when people over tighten O2 tanks (talking about people literally using the O2 wrench to gain leverage on the regulator clamp screw (thingamajig)) or using a wrench with a hole a little wider than the knob and overtightening it to the point of tweaking the metal so that an O2 wrench won't fit properly.

Of course these tanks were considered good enough to go out, even if it took 5 minutes to figure out just how to angle the O2 wrench to open/close the tank. I loathe crew chiefs who think their job rests only on getting crews out, regardless of their equipment status.

[AnthonyM83]

Never had a plastic one break on me....probably because we almost always use the metal one. I have the plastic one taped to the wall in the counter area as a backup in case we need to switch out the gurney portable during transport....though we usually have a backup with it's own regulator in the patient area, anyway.

[NYCntg]

Ever had one (plastic O2 wrench) break on you?

Not for nothing, but the plastic ones are crap, you don't have to even have an over tighten valve for them to break.

the Metal ones enlarge and bend to the point they're useless.

I've seen yours and they look pretty good but seem to me to be pricy but I tell you, I'm am so tired of crap I'm thinking seriously of buying one, if they really don't break.

ntg

[WANTYNU]

I've seen yours and they look pretty good but seem to me to be pricy but I tell you, I'm am so tired of crap I'm thinking seriously of buying one, if they really don't break.

All I can say, and I've said it before, is quality costs. You can add up all you've spent on buying stuff that breaks, or put it towards something that won't.

To me its a no brainer, but it's your choice (with really no down side).

-w

[RomeViking09]

I keep the following on me on the Truck

Right Outside Cargo (EMT) Pocket - EMT Shears, Knife (serrated blade), Bandage Shears

Right Inside Cargo - Field Guide, ACLS & PALS Flowcharts, and Drug Field Guide

Left Cargo - Field Notes Pad

Belt - MinMag, Glove Pouch w/ 2 pair of Gloves, Radio, Cell Phone, EMT Pouch )w/2nd MinMag, Hemostats, Kelly Forcepts, PenLight, Buck Knife), Leathermen

Back Pocket - Wallet with Certs, DL, Creditcard

Shirt Pocket - Cigs & Lighter, Pen, Sharpie

and I keep my scope around my neck so I can remember to check lung sounds (trick I learned in school and it has worked so far, so why not keep with it)