A few of my friends have played along and I really needed to do something mindless, so here goes.
After an ER clinical I decided to empty my BDU pockets, and GOOD GOD when did I start carrying so much crap? I thought the longer you worked in EMS the LESS stuff you carry? When I started all I carried was my drivers license, a pen and my cell phone. Five years later, here’s what’s on me most days.
Key chain complete with O2 tank key (it’s there for a reason, at a former employer there was never a wrench to be found), keys to the pumpkin mobile and keycards to all of the local gas stations. Gotta get my speedway points when filling up the squad ya know!
Change purse with cash and the DL.
Pens (I’m always losing them).
Carmex (don’t leave home without it).
Scissors (expose, expose, expose).
Ipod touch loaded up with various med apps. Perfect for doing a little research in the downtime.
Rhythm strips from that shift.
ID badges to the clinical sites.
Roll of tape (that particular roll has an interesting story behind it, another post for another time).
Drug cards for studying and blank cards for taking notes.
Cell phone.
Field guide.
No wonder I feel like my pants weigh three times what they should.
it depends on where you are as to what you carry. I carry a cell phone, wallet, pen, cash, keys, mints (always nice to have somewhat fresh breath when you don’t see the station for 14-16hrs), penlight, and of course some gloves.
What, no wings from the local flight service? No stork pin? EKG calipers? No hemostats? No window punch? No pepper spray?
Not even a pocketknife????
How can you be a sparky little medic student without all that crap in your pocket?
Glad I’m not the only one who carries so much junk. May just have to play along and post a photo of the offending items I carry everywhere when in uniform… Combined it probably weighs more than the response bag sometimes… :)
I need to hear this tape story.
You’re forgetting the all important diaper pin! How can a mom leave home with out it? Seriously, when I work, I end up using one, for something at least once a shift! I also carry a black sharpie and a small pelican light. Great post! Please post the tape story.
I might have to do this over on mine too… Gonna be a bad sight to add everything up though…
My EMS pockets..pen, gloves (in coat pocket), lip balm (again coat pocket only because I havent taken it out yet, pocket knife, wallet, copenahgen, keys to the supply locker, and then on my belt personal cell and per company policy truck cell phone. Thats about it….Now my bunker pants…well….got a couple tools in those pants pockets
I’ll have to play this game at some point. I suppose I need to WEAR my flight suit at some point to do this, right? A month away for travel and other commitments tends to interfere with the P/T work, no?
My trauma shears, cell phone, pen light, mag light (on my belt) ink pens, field guide, wallet. AND it’s still too friggin’ heavy! I feel like I weigh 1500 hundred friggin’ pounds out on a clinical! ugh!