In our recent post titled Can You Here Me Now?, we discovered that carrying your radio in a coat integrated radio pocket might not be the most desirable option. Whether it was a result from reading the post, or perhaps you already believed in using a radio strap, we’ll follow up with an idea of how to utilize the now empty pocket on your coat.
The radio pocket can be used to efficiently store different lengths of personal webbing. Most people agree that webbing is an extremely useful item to have available. We have posted many of its uses in the past, but before it can be utilized on the fireground, we first need a handy and easy accessible way to carry it. Nothing is worse than finding a situation when webbing is needed, and struggling to remove it from your pocket and untangle it.
The photo above shows a 15 foot length of webbing formed into a simple loop by a water knot. The loop is then daisy chained and finished with a carabiner on the end.
Place the carabiner on the ending bight, allowing it to deploy properly.
The daisy chained webbing is then placed into the pocket with the carabiner hanging out which is then ultimately secured by the pocket’s velcro closure . Not only does the carabiner increase the many ways the webbing can be utilized, it also makes it easier to remove with a gloved hand.
The webbing is then deployed by simply reaching for the carabiner and pulling. The daisy chain will unravel and webbing will deploy from the pocket tangle free.
This simple and effective method of carrying webbing ensures that is accessible and knot free whenever it is needed.
I think it’s interesting but the daisy chain is over complicating it, personally I’d stuff the webbing in and place carabiner over pocket just as you’ve done.
I place door chocks in mine, it makes them easier to access than in coat pockets.
I keep a set of cable cutters in my ‘radio’ pocket.
I keep my webbing rolled and stuffed into a medical glove, an idea I think I may have found here a few years ago. It deploys very quickly, stays neat.
I keep some small tool, my shove knives and my hood in my radio pocket….
I keep a wire cutter and lock jaw pliers in my radio pocket. My bunker pants pockets are for my webbing.
I do like that idea, but I currently like my cable cutters in that pocket.
I store my business cards and condoms in mine, and oh yea my radio since thats were it goes.
I store the jaws of life in my ‘radio’ pocket.
You know what I keep in my radio pocket? My f@#king radio. In seriousness, (even though I was being serious), Im not a fan of daisy chaining webbing that is going in fire gear. (And, I won’t make a latex glove joke)
Good idea, I like others, keep wire cutters in my radio pocket, since I have my radio on a strap….yup its strapped!!! All the kool kids are doing it. Although, I do keep webbing w/beaners at each end, just for easy clipping when needed.
I tried wearing a radio strap with a hand mic under the coat like the article stated. I was in an attic with a lot of heat that caused the mic (not the cord) to stop working. The cord was attached to my radio with the screw that would not allow me to remove it from the radio. I was unable to call over the radio to have the second line shut down that was causing the steam and subsequent heat that caused the mic to stop working in the first place.
Needless to say, my radio now goes in my radio pocket and will stay there. Webbing, cutters, chocks, etc. go in my pants pockets. I think its great to think outside the box on some things, but I don’t see a need to force a square peg in a round hole.
Do you really think that the remote mic will magically not become overheated when its just as exposed in the radio pocket?
CME,
Not trying to hijack the thread topic, but if it was the mic itself that was damaged, what difference does it make if the radio is now kept in your pocket? Unless you keep the mic in there too (seems like it would be hard to hear/use), then its still at the same risk for damage as it was before.
Other than that, I agree with you on different strokes for different folks. But it is nice to have some extra storage for smaller items like webbing.
Dang it JD! Snaked on the reply (I’ve got to learn to type faster).
Anyway, I like the idea of keeping the webbing chained and clipped to a carabiner. Took a class where one of the instructors had a pretty nifty way of deploying it from a pocket while crawling around the victim (simple and it worked). I wanna say they have a video of it on the Fire Eng. Training Minutes.
I choose to not use a hand mic at all now. The radio stays in the pocket with the flap closed over it. I’m not much on the statistics of everything (I guess I need to read the entire study), but I think that the $5,000 radio has the ability to withstand a lot more than the $100 hand mic.
I felt like the hand mic was a weak link in the whole equation, so I eliminated it.
Makes sense when you put it like that. Use what works for your particular situation.
Makes a great dog leash.
Has anyone actually used this set up? seems like you might get caught up on things. The beaner might come loose. i know they make them kinda lightweight now but feel like it is just another think to get caught.
I keep a short length of webbing in my radio pocket that is used for a hose strap(when backing a guy up) or for dragging a downed firemen (through the straps). also some small chocks for doors and sprinklers.
I have been doing this same thing with my radio pocket holder. It fast easy and deployable, the only thing that I do differently is the carabiner is clipped on the stitched in piece that holds the radio mic. Other than that its always been very reliable.
My organization does not allow for Radio Pockets on our Morning Pride Gear, they specifically from the manafactuere with no “radio pockets” on them. this is in reerence to the Fairfax County Radio Reports. We re required to wear our radios in a strap under the coat hanging to the left side as to not interfere with our exterior integrated bailout kits.