Radio Straps

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap. One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks. I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of. Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!

 

[rwik123]

Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap. One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks. I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of. Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!

I do. So does most of the EMS in my area and all the fire. Its mostly a fire thing I'd day. Its handy for listening to radio traffic and communications without taking it off your belt. More secure than just having a speaker mic clipped to you. The sway bar is key with them, or else they'll swing out in front of you when you kneel to make patient contact.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Almost everyone here uses a radio strap. All of the medics at my service wear flight suits, so it's either a batbelt or strap to carry your radio and pagers. (Yeah. Pagers. As in 2) Most wear a strap because its quick to take off and sling on a hook at the station.

All of the ems/fire guys wear a strap. Easier with the turnouts.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I've only seen one of our supervisors wearing them. With the fire department it is hit and miss on if they are wearing it or not.

 

[Christopher]

Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap. One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks. I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of. Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!

If I don't have a swivel adapter, I prefer a radio strap. Radio straps are also easier when donning turnout gear for rescue ops. It also places my mic in an area which will be protected in IDLH environments. Lastly, I can very easily adjust the radio on the strap for comfort as compared to the belt clip.

That being said, I'm tainted by 3 years in the fire side of things where radio straps are commonplace.

 

[111111111111111101]

haha Chicks dig radio straps. problem solved.

 

[med51fl]

Just curious if anyone here uses a radio strap. One guy walked in with one the other day and we started making fun of how ridiculous he looks. I've noticed some guys with them around here, but usually they're the ones getting made fun of. Just curious if they served any real purpose my belt and lapel can't serve or if they really are just gear to make you look cool (read: "dorky")!

It is the opposite here, the "belt wearers" are the dorky ones. Of course we are fire based and the strap is very handy for going over turnouts.

 

[Bullets]

I wear one, and many EMTs around here do. Being still mostly volunteer its easier to throw your radio strap on over whatever you may be wearing and you may not have a belt. I currently wear a black one with reflective tape, giving me extra visibility across my back. I am thinking about getting a natural leather one soon

At work we are in station, so when we get pack i can hang my radio on a hook and dont have to lay on it when kicking back on the couch. We also provide rescue services so it is easier to wear over your turnouts for extrication, or over your swim trunks while doing an ocean rescue. Hand mikes dont come unclipped from the radio strap, while i see cops with their mics swinging all the time.

Also, can be used as an impromptu tourniquet

 

[Christopher]

We also provide rescue services so it is easier to wear over your turnouts for extrication...

Two things to keep in mind when wearing a radio strap over turnout/bunker gear:
1. It represents an entanglement hazard
2. Your Radio and the lapel mic are not rated for protection from high thermals

So, you should get into the habit of placing the radio strap under your turnout/bunker gear whenever operating in an IDLH environment.

 

[Brandon O]

I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.

 

[Bullets]

Two things to keep in mind when wearing a radio strap over turnout/bunker gear:
1. It represents an entanglement hazard
2. Your Radio and the lapel mic are not rated for protection from high thermals

So, you should get into the habit of placing the radio strap under your turnout/bunker gear whenever operating in an IDLH environment.

We dont do fire suppression, only rescue services. Confined space, EBS, Water, Vehicle, Ropes. In most cases we wear turnouts only when it is the summer and we are wearing shorts, otherwise we are wearing long sleeves and pants, so rescue calls just add gloves and a helmet to do the work, and the radio strap goes over.

This doesnt include water rescues, where we are in wetsuits and dry suits

My new strap has a QRB on the back, so if i do get entangled all i have to do is hit the buckle and the whole thing falls away

 

[CFal]

I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.

like this?

 

[Brandon O]

like this?

Yeah, I guess, maybe with a cant. Like that dude from Trauma had . Sometimes I clip my radio into the neck of my shirt/sweater; it's convenient and doesn't get in the way when seated, but it does quickly align with gravity and the antenna ends up in my chin...

 

[WolfmanHarris]

Here we're issued swivel clips for our belt and a mic clip for epaulettes and everyone pretty much wears them. The only variance is whether you clip to an outer belt or not.

I did see one guy use a radio strap awhile back and I've toyed with using one on night shifts for easier on off when a call comes in. I just see it getting in the way more than my Velcro duty belt.

 

[EpiEMS]

I feel like this is a safe environment to admit that I often feel the most convenient way to carry my radio would be in a chest rig. Unless I'm stepping into a helicopter (or a rocket ship) instead of an ambulance, however, I'd probably be hearing about that until the grave.

And the most sensible, too.

I'm not a bat-belt or strap kinda guy, anyway. But a chest rig makes sense to me. Much easier to keep aware of where it is and all that.

 

[Bullets]

Yeah, I guess, maybe with a cant. Like that dude from Trauma had . Sometimes I clip my radio into the neck of my shirt/sweater; it's convenient and doesn't get in the way when seated, but it does quickly align with gravity and the antenna ends up in my chin...

I use a chest rig when we operate at large scale incidents. We operate a 6x6 Polaris
http://asap911.com/medstat/
and it get loud inside there so we are issued headsets with boom mics. Things like these multiday music festivals, NFL games, ect. I made my own with an admin pouch and a radio pouch on a chest rig from The Ops Deck (.com)

 

[adamNYC]

Btw most FDNY EMS I've seen all wear radio shoulder straps. How does it compaer to it mounted on the belt? I always thought the main reason was getting in and out of a vehicle the strap can be slung forward so you don't end up sitting on the radio or the radio causing you discomfort while sitting with it on the side somehow.

 

[Tigger]

I had one at a previous job (mandatory that the radio lived in it) and while it helped me "camouflage" with the cool firefighters, it was a pain to sit with. I clip my portable to my side pockets and it never gets in the way.

 

[MrJones]

Chest rigs are pretty much the standard for SAR opns. I'll add that I choose the equipment I use/wear (and that is not mandated by my employer) based on whether it serves the purpose for which it's intended, and given the range of options available for carrying radios I refuse to voluntarily wear a radio strap rig - they scream Ricky Rescue to me, especially when worn with civies.

 

[chaz90]

I transitioned to using a radio strap since our radios don't have clips to go on pants/belts and there's really no place to put them on our jumpsuits. Since the radios are required to be protected in cases, the options are either belts or straps. Belts are annoying to put on and take off with the radio mic clip every time we go on a call or leave the station, so I went with a strap.