This post comes on the heels of some discussion and training scenarios that we had at work. We have had the lapel microphones for our radios for a few years now, but it was a bit of a joke. Depending on who you relieved in the morning depended on whether the lapel mic was on that particular radio or not.
I had some Captains that hated them and would take them off as soon as they got on the truck and others did the exact opposite. Which, in turn happened with everyone else on the truck and we lost mics and so on an so on.
I personally like the lapel mics for the simple reason that you can get to it and get your “voice” closer to the mic when geared up and on air. Once you place your radio in a pocket and put your SCBA on, it can be almost impossible to get it out and talk on it.
Of course the argument from our dissenters is that the mic cord gets tangled up and it is a pain in the butt when you don’t need it. It is also difficult to re-clip the mic onto your coat or SCBA with gloves on.
I maintain that you have a better chance getting to the mic if you get into trouble as compared to the radio in a pocket.
What is the rest of the country and world doing?
Let us know your opinions and experiences.
Stay safe and thanks for reading.
Also on FirefightersEnemy …
- Release the Ladder Rack! – March 6, 2011
- Basement Self Rescue – January 17, 2011
- Basement Rescue Video – April 14, 2011
- The Door to Nowhere – June 12, 2011
I posted at the FE place too……
I am a big fan of the lapel mics, and a lot of our guys use the radio straps. I used to keep the radio in a radio pocket and have the mic wrapped around the back of my neck. I then read a report of a Firefighter that was in a situation where the mic actually failed because the heat damaged the cord.
We purchased radio for each firefighter on a grant, and as part of that everyone was issued a radio strap and case. There is probably a 50/50 split for those using cases versus the pocket and only a couple that don’t use the lapel mics.
I wear the strap under my gear, but low enough so I can lift the bottom of my coat to get to it. That was the radio stays clean and dry. I bring the mic out through the top of the neck of my coat and either leave it hanging so I can grab it and move it to my mouth/mask. Or if not masked up I will clip it to a mic tab on my coat collar.
My question for the no lapel people, if how do you get any work done with the radio in your hand? Or do you have to go looking for it each time you need it?
Add a strap for your mic to clip to in the collar of your turnouts. No problem.
I personally hate the radio pocket and mic strap on the chest. I use a radio strap under my coat and just clip to the collar. I use the radio pocket to hold sprinkler wedges and such.
Dave,
I am with you on this one. I prefer to wear the strap as well. Most of the guys here who don’t like, never tried to wear it and haven’t trained wearing it. As far as where they keep there radios, in a radio pocket on calls and then they can’t get to them. I have also seen them clipped to SCBA straps, and seen them come off without notice because of the plastic clip breaking or it not completely wrapping around the strap.
When not on calls they are clipped onto belts and pants.
Jason
I use my radio pocket, not because I’m a fan, just haven’t got a strap yet, but, Father’s Day is close. I keep my mike where I can use it when I’m in my mask, normally on my collar on a fire. Medical run I’ll use a spare WT and clip it to my pants. We used to have WT’s with no lapel mike, I hated them, a pain in the tail all the way around.
How many are using the leather straps? How do you like them?
Only a few use the straps, it’s to east coast and we’re in the midwest, their words not mine. I’m a fan of the leather straps, our buddy has one and loves it!
I too am a radio strap guy. As many have mentioned, the strap goes under the coat, adjusted long enough that you can reach under the edge of the coat to adjust the radio but short enough to protect it. I fish the lapel mic out through the collar when I’m fully geared up. It’s been a constant for several years now, much easier for me than digging the radio out of a pocket on my coat to use it. To each their own, of course.
Many of our people on the shift I relieve take the damn mics off the radios too. A certain Chief misses 1/2 the radio transmissions at a fire too. Drives me nutz!
I am another radio strap user. I too wear it under my turnout coat, and “fish” the lapel mic out my collar a Mike said. I find this loads better than using the radio pouch. If you want to wear the radio in the pouch look at a gear-keeper, the little retractable lanyard to attach the lapel mic to.
Before my leather strap, I used to keep it in my radio pocket with the mic clipped to my collar. Now that I have my strap (which is well worth the money) I do the same as stated above. Having the strap under the coat pretty much eliminates any entanglement hazards with the radio. Everyone has their niche, mines with the strap.
We have the radio straps for every radio. The straps are commonly worn by everyone for medicals and details. With bunker gear is a different story. Most take them out of the straps and place them in the pockets. Some because they are afraid of the knobs being disturbed while worn outside, but many are convinced it is an entanglement hazard because they refuse to take the time to train with them.
I wear mine in the strap under the coat. I pull the lapel mic up through the collar and attach it to a retractable gear keeper.
Only problem I’ve had was at a fire just as I was walking in one morning. Incident was just around the corner from the station, and the previous CO wore his strap on the opposite side (right vs left) than I do. Because I’ve trained repeatedly with wearing it on my left, I climb over things on my right. With it on the wrong side, I crawled over some stuff and changed radio channels inadvertently. Now switching the strap over is the first thing I do in the morning.
I to love the lapel mic and radio strap. I have used both ways with success. I agree with the statement it comes down to training and education for the non strap believers. As for the ones who say it is an entanglement we ourselves are an entire entanglement hazard, again this points back to training finding how you are going to get caught and making a plan on how to correct it. Looking forward to the other responses.
Ahh yes…the great radio strap debate. I personally, am a fan of the “radio purse” (as the naysayers in my dept. refer to it). We got radio straps a couple years back for each riding position, and still some would rather keep fishing it out of their pocket on jobs…just seems like too much effort to me. Many take off the lapel mike as well, as we have the bulky MSA lapel mics that connect to a bone mic/earphone on our helmet (kind of a pain in the rear, but overall gives better communications, especially interior ops). As far as my strap, I usually wear it under my coat. However, for fires, I’ll throw the strap on OVER my coat and then throw on my SCBA. I do this because then I don’t have any partial openings in my PPE, and the radio is easier to get to if I need to adjust it, without having to pull up my coat in a hazard area. I know many say that it can get tangled, but I’ve never had a problem with it, as the SCBA straps keep it tucked close to me. As always, keep up the great posts, it’s always nice to see how others do things…there’s always something to be learned.
I love the lapel mic as far as the radio strap I use it for non fire use, as an Engineer (driver)I find it gets in way of seat belt. I am not fan of more straps ( flash lights, radio)with fire gear also I like to keep the PPE closed.
I dig the radio strap and the lapel mic. I dont know how anyone operates effectively without either.
I wear the strap under my coat and then bring the mic through the top. It works awesome.
found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later
You know, this post is an excellent time to remind people of the Hackensack Ford fire in Hackensack, NJ. If you don’t recall that’s the fire that teaches us the dangers of Bowstring trusses. The other interesting fact from that fire is that the Chief running the show had his walkie talkie in his back pocket with NO lapel mic. He could not hear repeated transmissions from the FFs trapped inside the building after the collapse. Those FFs were the ones that dies. When I saw Heavy Rescue 2′s post above about his Chief I thought of this. Be careful – history often repeats itself!
Does anyone know of a pin on mic strap or hanger that would work with a T-Shirt?
Lapel Mics are they way to go in my opinion as said in the initial article. However where do you wear you radio? My station had a long heated discussion over the pocket versus the Radio strap. The argument consisted of guys who favored the pocket over the strap because they could feel it better. The other guys felt they knew the radio would not fall out of the pocket. Then came the discussion on where should the radio go under the jacket with the Mic through the top of the jacket as Robbie O describes above, over you jacket or even other wanted it over thier airpack. The over the airpack idea was qucikly squashed but the agrument over being able to change channels under the jacket versus above the jacket still rages on. I prefer it under the jacket and when guys asked me how do I change the channel my argument is simple, 1) I count the clicks which signifies what channel I am on or 2) I usually do not have to change the channel while fighting the fire. Good luck to all of you out there and if anyone has any suggestions otherwise please let me know. Stay SAFE!!
Drew has spoken. There will be no more discussion.
Hey Drew…. how’s it goin’…
Ehhhh, hey Drew…. how’s the structure?