Every one should carry a pocketknife. For many reasons, really...the convenience of opening packages, the sheer awesomness of eating an apple you just sliced with your own blade; actually, here's a great article on MANY of the reasons- Why carry a pocketknife? But as all emergency personnel know, it's most likely the single most effective tool you can carry in your pocket.
As a matter of fact, I distinctly recall my first week of fire school; when I asked my lead instructor what tools I should have on hand on a regular basis, his reply was simple- "A good knife, and a good flashlight. Every call, whether it's a working fire, or a simple medical run, a knife and a light will ALWAYS come in handy." And go figure, the guy with 40 years of firefighting experience...turned out to be right!
Now, the size, type and style of knife to carry is a debate than cannot be confined to a simple blog post. I've heard veteran firemen argue for hours about clip point vs. tanto point, fixed blade vs. folder...the bottom line is, choose what works. A lot of the decision making process when choosing an EDC (every day carry) knife is simply personal preference. Although there are many blades out there, you'll find that sometimes, the simplest are the best. Basically, does it hold a good edge? Can you deploy it quickly? Does it do precisely what you need it to do, when you need it to do it? Every thing else is just window dressing.
Personally, some of the brands I know and love include SOG, Columbia River Knife and Tool, and Gerber. Usually, if you've heard of the brand, it's most likely a solid knife. Don't spend too much; between $30 and $50 will get you a well made, dependable knife. Remember; like every other tool on the fireground, it will get beat up! Nothing is worse than wincing as you watch your $300 specialty made custom knife get shoved into a window frame while trying to force entry...buy a blade that you wouldn't cry over if it got lost in a foot of debris during overhaul. Also, similar to the age old forcible entry adage, "try before you buy"! Play with the knife; see how fast it opens, if you can use it with either hand, and most importantly for us firefighters, can you open, utilize, AND close it while wearing structural gloves? That being said, here's a personal favorite of mine (Gerber Epic fixed blade)....no product placement here, just something I know works well. (Although, if Gerber would like to ship me some samples, I might not say no... :)
So before I geek out entirely on one of my favorite topics, I'm going to remind you once more for the road: carry a good knife, and a good flashlight (more on the lights another day). You may be surprised at how often it comes in handy...and remember, nobody looks cooler than the guy peeling his apple with this :) Stay safe out there, ya'll!!
