To Carry or Not To Carry

Comment

Comment byBrandon Carmackon July 15, 2014 at 7:44am

You are correct, it is up to your fellow brothers and sisters to help you determine the needs for what you do. I believe that a flashlight, knife, wire cutters, and webbing is the basic tools that one should have. From there is it what each person likes. After 12 years and 4500+ calls a year on my truck, I have found the items I carry to be useful to me and aiding other members. I even go a step further and carry all my RIT type gear on my right side, as does my crew. It is easy to remember "RIGHT RIT". There are a few reasons behind this and it seems to work for us.

Comment byCory Crosbieon July 14, 2014 at 7:38pm

Wow, that's great that you carry all that equipment. There is no real standard on what to carry, so it depends on senior firefighters or firefighters who have experience to teach the new guys on what to carry. There should be a good base to start with and then build for what jobs you handle on the fire scene. Stay safe.

Comment byBrandon Carmackon July 12, 2014 at 1:39pm

What you carry on your person I believe is situational dependent. I carry things being assigned to a truck that the engine guys don't. However, I think every member on the fire ground should have a flashlight, webbing, cutting device, wire cutters, and a tool.

I carry 2 flashlights, knife, 2 different style wire cutters, flat/philips screw driver, channel locks, nails, wire ties, 3 D-rings, 1 6ft rope, 1 22ft webbing, 1 12ft webbing, and other small items. I also carry a bail out bag with 40ft of rope, with a D-ring and rappel ring.

Comment byCory Crosbieon July 2, 2014 at 12:45pm

I started this group to see what other firefighters carry in-side their gear. Tools, bail-out systems, rope, lights..etc. Does your department have a mandatory ladder belt or bail out rope attached to your gear? Feel free to discuss what you carry, your idea may help someone else out.