No matter where you work as an EMT or how much experience you have, you’ll always rely on a few key tools to handle a crisis and get the job done. It’s not enough to know your way around the supplies that your ambulance or coworkers have on hand. Many of these tools are an essential part of the job, so it’s important to keep your own set with you at all times. Make sure you’re always ready for whatever you face on the job with these must-have items for EMTs and paramedics.

Flashlight, Multi-Tool, and a Notepad

These three items might not be high-tech medical equipment, but they’re invaluable tools for EMTs and paramedics. Keeping these basic yet functional tools on hand can help you handle many of the situations you’ll face on the job.

A durable tactical flashlight is easy enough to keep on your belt, and you won’t regret having your own whenever you’re dispatched at night.

A good multi-tool features a knife, a screwdriver, pliers, and other simple yet crucial tools. This is an invaluable piece of equipment if you ever need to improvise due to a lack of other medical supplies.

Finally, always have a notepad and pen on hand to record vitals and other crucial information from the scene.

Portable Pulse Oximeter

A pulse oximeter is a fast and noninvasive way to measure a patient’s blood oxygen level on scene. While your ambulance will likely have a pulse oximeter built in, it helps to have a reliable instrument of your own that you can take wherever you go. A portable pulse oximeter for infants and adults allows you to measure any patient’s oxygen saturation. You can buy pulse oximeters with a multisite sensor for infants and a pediatric/adult sensor. These will give you the versatility you need to help any patient you come across.

High-Quality Stethoscope

Not all stethoscopes are created equal. The last thing you want is to struggle with diagnosing a problem because you can’t properly listen to a patient’s breathing. While ambulances carry stethoscopes, it’s nice to have a high-quality one for an accurate read at all times. This will help you move efficiently to diagnose a problem and figure out the next steps for you and your patient.

A Watch

When you think of the must-have items for EMTs and paramedics, a watch likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Despite being a common and basic tool, a watch is invaluable for the work you do. This is a fast, simple, and accessible way to keep time as you take a patient’s vitals, track your time on the scene, and document times for reports.