# What multitool is preferred by EMT's



## rgp4544 (May 13, 2006)

After having a couple of recent accidents, I'm putting together some stuff for a first aid kit and was curious what make and model of multitool is preferred for use on the job by EMT's, nurses, etc.

Thank you,

Richard


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## carrot (May 14, 2006)

Just a completely uninformed opinion -- I'd think they'd prefer a sharp pair of snips and a nice serrated blade to cut through fabric, maybe a Spyderco with a sheepsfoot blade. Easier to use quickly than a multitool, which requires you to take a look at it and choose which blade/tool to open up. Also, most multitools don't have locking blades, and have more crevices for contaminants to get into. I'll step aside now for the real EMT's.


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## Mike Painter (May 14, 2006)

I carry a Gerber but not for the EMT side. It has the interchangeable head and their cable cutter head does an excellent job on battery cables.
A "rescue" knife is also nice but anything without a point will do if needed.
99% of the time EMT shears will be used in any trauma situation. If it's an isloated wound, maybe just the shirt or pants will go but any serious accident will see them essentially naked by the time it's time to move them onto a stretcher or back board. If you can't see it you can't fix it.


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## kennyj (May 14, 2006)

Not an EMT, but I'd go for one of the SAKs with one-hand-opening locking blades. Easy to draw, excellent corrosion resistance, solid handling, and a few useful tools but not an overly complex device. Also cheap to replace.

Do EMTs find much call for pliers? I could see a scissor-based multitool being useful, but realistically, scissors meant for medical use are a FAR better choice. In the end, I'd recommend a SAK over a multitool as one part of a kit of tools. Remember, while multitools are useful, they seldom replace the tools they mimic when the requirements are exact. I might have the full bit kit setup for my Leatherman Charge, for instance, but I still keep a full selection of screwdrivers, Torx drivers, Allen wrenches, etc. nearby for those times when more torque, more precision, or easier use is called for.


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## coldsolderjoint (May 14, 2006)

I've been an EMT for 4 years in a suburban setting in central NJ, and I can honestly say I've never needed anything as a multi tool or knife regarding my EMT work. 

EMT Shears come straight from the gods however as they seem to break the rules of the universe. QUALITY DOES COME CHEAP. I carry two pairs on me most of the time, during the "Real" calls.. you put them down somewhere only to be never found again. 

If i had to choose, I would go with the gerber because the pliers can be quick drawn and you don't have those sharp edges digging into your hands when using the tool. 

I like the Smith and Wesson First Response knife, but that is a bit blingy even for EMT work, and if you put that down, your certainly not getting it back. 

My EMT EDC: Normal EDC plus lots of nitrile gloves, flashlight and penlight (Usually the CPF 16 Level light because it eliminates the need for a second penlight), two pairs of shears, cheap $10 stehoscope, extra clicky pen and the required communication devices (Pager and Walkie talkie) Not much really. Everything except the flashlight and pager goes in the pockets. 

I've grown from the days of wearing the bat belt like almost every new EMT does. Someone once said that the amount of gear on an EMT's belt is indireclty porportional to the amount of time he's been around.


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## JohnnyB (May 14, 2006)

coldsolderjoint said:


> I've been an EMT for 4 years in a suburban setting in central NJ, and I can honestly say I've never needed anything as a multi tool or knife regarding my EMT work.
> 
> EMT Shears come straight from the gods however as they seem to break the rules of the universe. QUALITY DOES COME CHEAP. I carry two pairs on me most of the time, during the "Real" calls.. you put them down somewhere only to be never found again.



I agree, I spent 7 years as a Paramedic in several large, urban departments. My EDC was a pair of EMT shears and a [email protected] Of course, that was long before there were any cool flashlights around 

Interesting story. When I graduated medic school in 83, one of the instructors gave me a really nice set of yellow handle shears. They were top of the line then and really could cut through a penny. While working in the midwest, we responded several miles outside the city limits for an MVA. I set the shears down on the vehicle roof and forgot them there. It was too far from our normal coverage district, so I couldn't return to the scene until after work. I looked around for awhile hoping they had fallen to the side of the road when they hauled off the cars, but they were nowhere to be found. 
Several months later, we were dropping a patient off at one of the large trauma centers and I realized that, in every trauma room, there was a hook on the wall holding a set of these shears. i looked closely at the ones in this particular room, and there, engraved on the side, were my initials, "JJB". How they wound up there I'll never know, but they are still with me to this day.


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## coldsolderjoint (May 14, 2006)

LOL! Thats great.  

Maybe there is hope for my SL Twin Task 3AA that a crewmember lost on the parkway.


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## rgp4544 (May 14, 2006)

Thank you all for the replies.

It looks like I'm going to get a pair of EMT shears instead of tossing a multitool into the box.

Richard


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## coldsolderjoint (May 14, 2006)

Why Not get both?!


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## Malpaso (May 16, 2006)

I'm an EMT, but most of my work is on the commo side of things. For that, I carry a Gerber MultiTool. I also carry a Spyderco Rescue. However, coldsolderjoint hit the nail on the head with the trauma shears.


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