fire/rescue knives

Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
72
to all involved in firefighting, rescue, ems, etc.:

what kind of knives (brand, blade-style, etc.) do you carry and what ways do you use them in the field?

thanks...
 
Leatherman Wave or Supertool and usually a Schrade or Boker stockman knife.Ive been on a volunteer fire/rescue dept for 14 yrs now,and i average about 150 to 200 runs a year.The Wave is immensely useful,usually for the more mundane stuff that pops up.I've rarely had to cut a seatbelt,that doesnt happen as much as everyone thinks.Agood quality flashlight such as a Surefire or Streamlight scorpion is just as useful as a multi-tool or knife in my opinion.
 
I'm not in the field myself, but I have a 93mm Spyderco that is built for those purposes.

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Well I got 13 or so years on the job,my dept. has about 525 men.I would say about half don't carry any knife and the rest carry everything under the sun.Junk pos knock offs are popular,although some do see the light after they fail...

Sak's, and the Leatherman type tools are popular.Slowly but surly guys are turning to good one hand,clip type knives.Most want 50/50 but plain has a smaller but strong following.These tend to be CRKT,Gerber,spyderco and a few benchmades.

Myself,i carry a BM 710 or CRKT M-16FD and either a Meercat,Delica or SAK.

Uses,Well we live in a firehouse so anything you may cut at home we cut at work.This includes food prep.cardboard boxes,rags etc.

On calls I may cut open a smoldering mattress,cut away burned carpet,cut plastic or tar paper to cover vent holes.Then theres the getto padlock,you know when people tie their fence gates closed with rope or electric cord.

I never had a seat belt I could not simply unbuckle and quite frankly I don't like using sharp things in cramped crowded places with many people around some of them excited .

I also stopped long ago using knives to cut off clothes.Bad taste at shootings and stabbings and risky always.I've had more than one person come to and find a stranger(me) leaning over them amd become combative.This along with the fact that you got 2 -6 fireman plus the ambulance personnal working in some small bathroom or hallway,the last thing you need in there is a razor sharp knife.

Then theres the Detroit cop who cut a womans fingers while cutting off her sleeves who's being sued for 100 million They made a big deal out of the fact the knife is non-issue,theres no poilcy for using them etc.I think I'll stick to my dept. issued emt shears and seat belt cutters (if needed)for work around people.
 
I'm a firefighter in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK.
Lone Hunter is right - we do not use knives to cut seat belts or clothing. We have seatbelt cutters and EMT shears for this. Our knives are for general station/fireground tasks.
I carry a Delica in a belt pouch on my station wear and a Starmate or Endura in my fire jacket.
I ditched my Rescue because I found I often needed a point on my knife.
I've just ordered a Benchmade Mini Griptilian 555 to rotate with my Delica. Maybe I wanted a change from all those Spydercos!!
 
I carry a new Spyderco Rescue Blue 93mm in my stationwear pants pocket, and a BM Rescue Hook and Gerber Urban Legend 700 tool on my belt. On my turnout coat I carry a Spyderco Remote Release clipped to a ring on Streamlight Survivor. On my turnout pants I carry a Gerber Legend 800 tool on an Eagle Industries Instrutors rappeling belt. I also carry a Halligan Tool and a pretty hefty flat head axe.
 
I carry a Gerber Multi-tool in its sheath on my bunker pants and an Orange Spyderco Rescue clipped to my bunker coat using a carabiner. I carry any and all types of folders clipped to by duty pants, it just depends what I feel like carrying that day.

I always carry a pair of EMT shears in my bunker coat pocket.
 
I carry both an Emerson Commander or a Emerson PSARK. They are used for everthing from boxes to drywall.
 
I've been an EMT-Paramedic for a little over 5 years now. I carry the Benchmade Model 5 rescue hook to remove clothes of trauma victims. I carry a Leatherman Wave to tighten loose screws in the ambulance. They always work loose, and cause the diamond deck stuff to rattle. I carry any one of my EDC knives for utility cutting. Recently I used my highly polished and sharpened Kershaw Chive to shave a guys chest so I could attach electrodes for a 12 lead EKG. The cheap BIC disposable razor we have with our monitor clogged after 1 swipe. This is how I use my knives.

Mike
 
Benchmade Rescue Hook for removing clothes - works great. Benchmade 705 for general utility work.

Dean
 
It's been a while since I posted, but I asked the same question a few years ago. Since then I carry a Gerber Multitool in its pouch on my uniform, a SAK in my pocket and a Rescue One by Meyerco in my bunker pants. I really like the Rescue One, as well as being blunted and 50/50 it has a carbide striker molded into the handle. The striker works great on car windows. Granted we usually have plenty of tools handy to break glass when we need too, but it is handy and always with me. I will have to agree with the other men on the job that the blade hardly ever comes into play and I use the striker more that the edge, but being the knife lover that I am a can't be without one at my finger tips.
 
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