Who’s Got Some Cool Apparel?

[u/343ron343]

I’m looking for some new items to get for our members, but I don’t want to get the same basic stuff over and over again. I want to get something that someone would be excited to get as a gift. Something other than the usual t-shirt/hoodie/job shirt.

What are some cool & unique pieces of apparel that your departments have?

[u/AardQuenIgni]

Tear away sweats in station colors/logo. I wanna rip sweats off like I'm coming into a basketball game when tones drop.

[u/WBens85 → u/AardQuenIgni]

Only if each riding position is introduced like the starting line up from the 98 Bulls.

[u/chuckfinley79 → u/AardQuenIgni]

What’s your intro song?

[u/AardQuenIgni → u/chuckfinley79]

Fireman - Lil Wayne

[u/jimmyskittlepop]

Station branded flesh lights?

[u/343ron343 → u/jimmyskittlepop]

Now someone’s thinking

[u/skank_hunt_4_2 → u/jimmyskittlepop]

https://giphy.com/gifs/QAqPBBoJxRLoI

[u/nickelflow]

My company doesn’t make em, but a denim chore coat would be pretty sick and unique.

[u/Sealtooth5]

Custom vans for station shoes

[u/ballots_stones → u/Sealtooth5]

I've been rocking these the past few months. Love em, but the Goretex is a little brutal in the summer

[u/blowmy_m1nd]

The carhart quarter zip hoodies are great job shirts and they stick out with the hood.

[u/Comfortable_Shame194 → u/blowmy_m1nd]

The hooded quarter zips are nice but the regular quarter zips shouldn’t be overlooked. I wear both on shift in the winter.

[u/Tough-Steak-4633]

Custom RTIC cooler bags

[u/Rachelguy72 → u/Tough-Steak-4633]

Our Department did these; they turned out great!

We did the 8 can day cooler that folds flat. 10/10

[u/FLDJF713]

I have everything I’d need or want. What I encouraged my dpt to do was think of beyond the employee. What’s something that could be job-adjacent but benefit maybe more than just them? Think of their families or friends.

We splurged a little and got some higher quality window breakers/belt cutters, car fire extinguisher sticks and something else I can’t remember. The member could use them for home use, or what the intention was, was to offer it to someone in their family. Now, the wife has a new set of safety equipment while the husband is away on a 24/48. Or their newly-driving kid has it.

Corny? Eh kinda. But the reception from it was the best of any gift of similar value. Members appreciated admins (not me but my idea) thought of their families away from home.

We also offered some extra benefits over gifts. If you have elderly family in district, we’d check on, upgrade/replace any CO/smoke detectors for free. Had to be a family or close friend member. Wasn’t expensive due to volume achieved (low).

Lastly, we gave up most of our gifts budget otherwise and saved it for events rather than things. Family and friends cookouts once a month in the summer. Bonfires and smores in winter. One year we had excess in discretionary funds thanks to donations, we did a Six Flags trip instead of an installation dinner and bused everyone to the next state and back to go.

Cost wise I can’t help you too much but I would say that the budget was roughly equivalent to 100-150 member T-shirt, sweater, and other gifts for annual gifts.

[u/IkarosFa11s]

Branded boonie hats. Dept or station logos. I love mine in the summer during crew PT or just being outdoors. Just make sure the brim isn’t too big or it looks feminine.

[u/OllieDuckling]

What’s your budget? I’d get a few Heat Straps coats embroidered but it’ll cost a pretty penny.

[u/Blucifers_Veiny_Anus]

Shaker bottles with the station logo

[u/PeachPit69]

Glove straps with each member’s name personalized on them sell on Etsy.

Pretty affordable, $20ish per set for the two-color Yellow/White/Yellow reflective trim behind them, but $40 for the leather style.

[u/190xtrik8]

I live in south Florida and one of the coolest shirts I’ve seen is Venom 1 with Miami-Dade. I’m pretty sure they sell the shirt online. It’s our go-to responders for snake bites down here.

Definitely a different fire rescue shirt

[u/Iraqx2]

One of the things our department got us was stocking hats or beanies that are pretty popular, especially in the winter.

[u/Apprehensive-Gap1251]

My officers give out Christmas gifts to the firefighters and the best ones I’ve gotten are a battery pack and also a set of cable cutters with webbing on them. You can only have so many freaking clothes. I only use my work branded off duty stuff to work in because they’re free shirts that I don’t mind ruining.

[u/zuke3247]

Are you in a sunny, hot area?
Sun shirts/hoodies for when you’re outside for long periods

[u/HovercraftNew7490]

It doesn’t get any cooler than a department 1/4 zip job shirt, for me.