Editor’s note: Amazon Prime Day is an annual event offering deep discounts, deals and doorbusters on a variety of products, from clothing to electronics to appliances to outdoor gear and more. This year, Amazon Prime Day deals will be live from July 16-17, though some deals are already live here.
For first responders, Amazon Prime Day is a great time to take stock of your professional needs and look for deals to upgrade your tools, uniforms, personal fitness gadgets and other needs. If you’re unsure how Amazon Prime Days work, check out these these frequently asked questions to get started.
Let’s face it, whether your agency helps to pay for it or not, work gear can be expensive. Luckily, we’re just a few weeks short of Amazon Prime Day, July 16-17, which is a great opportunity to find many of your favorite work tools/supplies at a discount.
Here are my favorites I hope go on sale this year.
5.11 Tactical Responder’s High Vis Performance Parka
I’m not going to lie, these bad boys are expensive, but I was lucky enough to receive one from an agency that I’ve now had for over 8 years. These things are built to last in terms of quality and durability.
Most importantly, you’re getting brightness and reflective fabric all around to ensure maximum visibility. Having always worked in communities with highways and major roadways, I’ve leaned heavily on this jacket. It’s an added bonus that it’s comfortable, easy to work in, and comes with a removable fleece inside jacket for the colder months. It also has a ton of pockets which is huge for those of us who like to carry a million things.
Smith & Wesson SWFR2S 8in High Carbon S.S. Folding Knife
There are many manufacturers of first responder tools, especially knives. That said, when it comes to these things, the phrase “buy nice or buy twice” applies well here. This is why the Smith & Wesson extreme ops folding knife is my top pick for utility knives.
Much like the 5.11 jacket, these things are built to last. Made of carbon, stainless steel and aluminum, it’s also lightweight and easy to carry. Equipped with a seatbelt cutter and window punch, it’s all you need in one EMS tool.
Littman Cardiology Diagnostic Stethoscope
Next up on the list is another item you may spend big bucks on up front, but will more than likely last your entire career (unless you lose things, like me). The Littman Cardiology Diagnostic stethoscope, a set of “ears” as we call them, is one of the most reliable tools you can have in the back of the ambulance.
Between bouncing through potholes, bumps and sirens, it can be really difficult to hear things back there. I have personally used this scope for almost a decade (I have a slightly older model) and it has never let me down, regardless of where we are or how loud it is.
It’s easy to clean, store and carry. It’s super light and fits perfectly into BDU pant pockets, and is so light, you will probably forget it’s there. While I hope to see some kind of discount for Amazon Prime Day, either way, it’s well worth the money.
commountain 3.5mm Listen Only Earpiece
Speaking of trying to listen through loud noises, that brings me to the next item – the Commountain Earpiece speaker and mic for Motorola radios. If you’ve ever tried to listen to your radio while working a concert or loud event, you know you have to crank the volume to the max and lean your ear into your mic to even remotely hear anything.
These bad boys make hearing your radio during an event a non-issue, not to mention they fit comfortably and maintain a subtle, low profile. It’s one of those items that you use once and can never go without. I highly recommend them, and priced at just $11 on Amazon, are a good buy even without a discount.
ThinkFit Insulated Lunch Box
The last item on my list is an essential when it comes to meal prepping and trying to eat right on shift. It’s the Thinkfit lunch box, with enough room for six Tupperware containers, shaker bottle and ice packs.
This is perfect for those long shifts that you may want to pack multiple meals and snacks for. Having the food prepped and ready for you to eat will help deter you from indulging in fast food and other unhealthy choices while on a long shift. This lunch box checks all the boxes, being very spacious, double insulated, microwavable and dishwasher safe; and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. Although reasonably priced at $45, we still hope to see some kind of Amazon Prime Day discount on this.
Those are my top picks for items we hope to see a discount on during Amazon Prime Day, but sometimes you can find deals or coupons outside of Prime Day as well. It’s worth checking once in a while to ensure you have the right gear/tools as you perform the job. Happy hunting!
