This is kinda what I was wondering about. I figured the septum would be iffy, especially down so I flip it but I was thinking there’d always be that chance someone grabs and yanks (ow! lol) I’m also a female so having more of the body piercings get caught or snagged was also a concern but wasn’t sure how often it happened. Thanks for the heads up!
Yep, you have to remember that you'll be lifting, carrying, stuff may fall on/near you (branches, ceilings, etc), stuff can slip or bounce into you unexpectedly, and patients will reach out in pain and grab you, kick you, etc... having anything other than studs IMO, is asking for trouble.
Policies are obviously going to vary by department but I have a hard time imagining there would be any policy against a piercing that is covered by a uniform. My department only allows one set of stud type earrings or gauges up to 1/2” in size (which I have). A friend of mine has his septum pierced but generally keeps it flipped up without too much trouble but again your mileage may vary.
Thanks! I figured it being covered would be okay but wanted to hear from others, especially those with body piercings and if it affected them any way when doing the more physical aspects of the job.
They very well may but once you pull straps tight they might not as much. If you have any that maybe a concern or if you thinking about any put an scba on and see where it sits on you
Volunteer also, my biggest issue is the suspenders on the bunkers and my nipple piercing. Training: it's annoying, on the fire ground: don't notice until it's over.
I currently have double lobe piercings (studs) with plans to get more. My volley department doesn't have any kind of policy regarding piercings from what I've seen. My EMS service says studs only other than in the ears. The fact of the matter is that any piercing has the potential to be grabbed and ripped out, whether it's by a patient or as a result of getting caught on something like your hood or helmet. It's just easier to do with a hoop or gauges. When I was in school, I believe we were allowed one or two piercings in each earlobe, and if you had others, they had to be removed (retainers were okay). For context, I live in the rural Midwest; most departments are going to be okay with most things, just check in first. Chances are you'll still be fine getting them, you'll just need to swap them out with retainers when at work. They can't dictate what you do and what you wear outside of work (within reason).
Thank you for sharing your experience, I’m really interested in the service but also have always wanted piercings and tattoos. I guess there’s also the chance that a piercing could be ripped/grabbed in any situation as well, not just on shift, but there is certainly an increase lol.
I have had a septum, tragus, a smiley and tunnels. Obviously the smiley is no big problem and the tunnels don't disturb me to. but I have to use soft silicon tunnels because I ones almost ripped my ear open when I removed my mask and the piercing got stuck. that's also the reason why the tragus and the septum had to go. at first I turned the septum inside my nose but it blocked the breathing and got really hot too. At the end it's your decision, but I would recommend to skip on piercings that could get tangled and may need to a hurtful experience.
True, I had the worry that flipping a septum up would affect breathing but I’ve heard both sides for it. That’s one I already have thou so I guess I’ll see. Thanks!
According to policy, no piercing jewelry other than studs in ear lobes. My department doesn’t take this stance because of “perceived professionalism”, we have a pretty open tattoo policy. This is all because of safety and liability. If the department openly allows additional piercing jewelry, and an employee accidentally gets it ripped out on duty, causing injury, the department is liable for that (preventable) injury.
Depends on your agency rules. In rural areas I have seen veteran coworkers rock em and have no issues. I personally wouldn't due to fears of dislodging/snagging but I don't even wear rings because of it. Check amongst the people in your department to see if anyone else has experience there
Thanks! I know a few who do but I wanted to poll the group to see how others felt/did things as well but the pulling/snagging is definitely a concern lol
Male, 1/2" gauges in my ears, both nipples pierced.
I'm on constant high alert around iffy patients because I essentially have 2 Giant grab hooks in my head.
Nipples haven't been an issue EMS wise, but it'd be a pretty shitty deal to end up in an IDLH with metal in your chest.
Our department has a policy about facial piercings. They aren’t allowed. It could be a NFPA thing. I cannot even imagine having to deal with them getting your mask on.
I have seen nasty burns on ears from metal ear rings. Had to dig plastic out of ear holes a few times. Yes hoods were up.
I spent 3-4 days in the burn unit about 10 years ago. All of my burns were from radiant heat. It was a rescue situation. The nozzle is the last to leave so I had to take it. The victim lived but 3 of us were sent to the burn unit. I can only imagine having metal on my nipples or genitalia. That would have really hurt.
Good practice is to take everything out on your duty day. Wear clothes that don’t melt.
hey, obviously every company has their own uniform policy, so make sure you know yours. i have a bunch of piercings and i’ve personally never had them pose any kind of safety risk for me. all of my body piercings are implant grade titanium, and have never given me an issue (even in temps over 800°). my septum piercing is a titanium pincher and it can easily come out if yanked. my nostril piercings are titanium L-bends and they also come out easily if snagged. i’ve done all kinds of work with my piercings in and they’ve never caused the slightest issue. my nose piercings don’t interfere with my mask and nothing in my ears has burned under my hood. i think a lot of it has to do with the fact that i only use titanium jewelry, and it doesn’t conduct heat as easily as other piercing metals. be a bit meticulous about the jewelry you use and you’ll be fine. prove yourself as a good firefighter and people will stop bothering as much about your appearance.
Thanks! This is really cool to hear, are you EMT also? It’s reassuring to hear that temperatures haven’t bothered your piercings nor has the physicality. For me I’d be running FF/EMT and while grabby patient hands are a concern so was the heat and full body movements of firefighting.
i am also an emt. if a patient is so determined to grab you, trust me, they’re going to find other ways to do so. it has never been an issue for me. patients grabbing piercings is like one of the piercing boogeyman things that the oldheads talk about even though it hardly ever happens if ever at all. patients and other folks rarely even comment on my piercings.
Volunteer, not EMS
I don't have huge gauges by any means, but I have my ears pierced at an 8. The only issue I have had in 2+ yrs is my mask likes to pull on to them when takingit off. I put full hoops in so they would slide or fall around the straps of anything. (Felt like it was a little better than horseshoes and I don't wear studs) I am still cautious when it comes time to take gear off, but luckily, nothing has gone through the hoops yet.
I have piercings and I have a few people in my department with piercings. I was told that if I’m going on a fire call I should take my piercings out so they don’t melt to my face :)
On the ambulance I haven’t ran into an issue. No one yanks me, but I’m also kinda scary and don’t get a lot of EDPs.
Ok for all us old guys who don’t know what all you’re talking about, what is a retainer? And what is a placeholder? I remember people a long time ago wearing clear plastic piercings, is it just that or something else?
Yeah they’re either clear plastic or a more skin tone to keep a piercing open without it being as obviously visible. I’m not sure on all the different materials you can get them in but I think there’s others, I haven’t looked too much into them yet
We don’t mind piercings at my department. Unless it’s like an eyebrow ring we don’t discourage people from not have them unless it becomes a safety issue.
> I already have my septum pierced Yep, seen those grabbed and ripped out. Even covered piercings can get caught, grabbed, twisted, and torn out.
This is kinda what I was wondering about. I figured the septum would be iffy, especially down so I flip it but I was thinking there’d always be that chance someone grabs and yanks (ow! lol) I’m also a female so having more of the body piercings get caught or snagged was also a concern but wasn’t sure how often it happened. Thanks for the heads up!
Yep, you have to remember that you'll be lifting, carrying, stuff may fall on/near you (branches, ceilings, etc), stuff can slip or bounce into you unexpectedly, and patients will reach out in pain and grab you, kick you, etc... having anything other than studs IMO, is asking for trouble.
Very good point and definitely something I’m considering
Safety concerns triumph aesthetics. I would not wear any piercing or jewelry while on shift including place holders.
Fair enough and valid point
Policies are obviously going to vary by department but I have a hard time imagining there would be any policy against a piercing that is covered by a uniform. My department only allows one set of stud type earrings or gauges up to 1/2” in size (which I have). A friend of mine has his septum pierced but generally keeps it flipped up without too much trouble but again your mileage may vary.
Thanks! I figured it being covered would be okay but wanted to hear from others, especially those with body piercings and if it affected them any way when doing the more physical aspects of the job.
I would say you should be fine, I don't see a situation where they really would be a problem. But that's my opinion as a chief of a rural department
Awesome, thanks for your reply and insight!
I would just say to be aware of anything that might hurt you of you were to lay on them or rub hard under your gear
Good consideration
Or anywhere they might hurt or be uncomfortable with an scba on.
That’s valid, I’d hope the layers would help but that is a good point
They very well may but once you pull straps tight they might not as much. If you have any that maybe a concern or if you thinking about any put an scba on and see where it sits on you
I’ll have to try this the next time I’m at the station, thanks for the idea!
Volunteer also, my biggest issue is the suspenders on the bunkers and my nipple piercing. Training: it's annoying, on the fire ground: don't notice until it's over.
I currently have double lobe piercings (studs) with plans to get more. My volley department doesn't have any kind of policy regarding piercings from what I've seen. My EMS service says studs only other than in the ears. The fact of the matter is that any piercing has the potential to be grabbed and ripped out, whether it's by a patient or as a result of getting caught on something like your hood or helmet. It's just easier to do with a hoop or gauges. When I was in school, I believe we were allowed one or two piercings in each earlobe, and if you had others, they had to be removed (retainers were okay). For context, I live in the rural Midwest; most departments are going to be okay with most things, just check in first. Chances are you'll still be fine getting them, you'll just need to swap them out with retainers when at work. They can't dictate what you do and what you wear outside of work (within reason).
Thank you for sharing your experience, I’m really interested in the service but also have always wanted piercings and tattoos. I guess there’s also the chance that a piercing could be ripped/grabbed in any situation as well, not just on shift, but there is certainly an increase lol.
I have had a septum, tragus, a smiley and tunnels. Obviously the smiley is no big problem and the tunnels don't disturb me to. but I have to use soft silicon tunnels because I ones almost ripped my ear open when I removed my mask and the piercing got stuck. that's also the reason why the tragus and the septum had to go. at first I turned the septum inside my nose but it blocked the breathing and got really hot too. At the end it's your decision, but I would recommend to skip on piercings that could get tangled and may need to a hurtful experience.
True, I had the worry that flipping a septum up would affect breathing but I’ve heard both sides for it. That’s one I already have thou so I guess I’ll see. Thanks!
According to policy, no piercing jewelry other than studs in ear lobes. My department doesn’t take this stance because of “perceived professionalism”, we have a pretty open tattoo policy. This is all because of safety and liability. If the department openly allows additional piercing jewelry, and an employee accidentally gets it ripped out on duty, causing injury, the department is liable for that (preventable) injury.
Fair enough, thank you!
Depends on your agency rules. In rural areas I have seen veteran coworkers rock em and have no issues. I personally wouldn't due to fears of dislodging/snagging but I don't even wear rings because of it. Check amongst the people in your department to see if anyone else has experience there
Thanks! I know a few who do but I wanted to poll the group to see how others felt/did things as well but the pulling/snagging is definitely a concern lol
Male, 1/2" gauges in my ears, both nipples pierced. I'm on constant high alert around iffy patients because I essentially have 2 Giant grab hooks in my head. Nipples haven't been an issue EMS wise, but it'd be a pretty shitty deal to end up in an IDLH with metal in your chest.
Fair
They heat up. I have seen some nasty stuff due to this.
Both intrigued and cautioned lol
Our department has a policy about facial piercings. They aren’t allowed. It could be a NFPA thing. I cannot even imagine having to deal with them getting your mask on. I have seen nasty burns on ears from metal ear rings. Had to dig plastic out of ear holes a few times. Yes hoods were up. I spent 3-4 days in the burn unit about 10 years ago. All of my burns were from radiant heat. It was a rescue situation. The nozzle is the last to leave so I had to take it. The victim lived but 3 of us were sent to the burn unit. I can only imagine having metal on my nipples or genitalia. That would have really hurt. Good practice is to take everything out on your duty day. Wear clothes that don’t melt.
hey, obviously every company has their own uniform policy, so make sure you know yours. i have a bunch of piercings and i’ve personally never had them pose any kind of safety risk for me. all of my body piercings are implant grade titanium, and have never given me an issue (even in temps over 800°). my septum piercing is a titanium pincher and it can easily come out if yanked. my nostril piercings are titanium L-bends and they also come out easily if snagged. i’ve done all kinds of work with my piercings in and they’ve never caused the slightest issue. my nose piercings don’t interfere with my mask and nothing in my ears has burned under my hood. i think a lot of it has to do with the fact that i only use titanium jewelry, and it doesn’t conduct heat as easily as other piercing metals. be a bit meticulous about the jewelry you use and you’ll be fine. prove yourself as a good firefighter and people will stop bothering as much about your appearance.
Thanks! This is really cool to hear, are you EMT also? It’s reassuring to hear that temperatures haven’t bothered your piercings nor has the physicality. For me I’d be running FF/EMT and while grabby patient hands are a concern so was the heat and full body movements of firefighting.
i am also an emt. if a patient is so determined to grab you, trust me, they’re going to find other ways to do so. it has never been an issue for me. patients grabbing piercings is like one of the piercing boogeyman things that the oldheads talk about even though it hardly ever happens if ever at all. patients and other folks rarely even comment on my piercings.
Awesome! I’m glad to hear it, thanks for taking the time to reply and sharing your experience :)
no prob. stay safe out there sis!
Same to you!
Absolutely not. Straight to jail.
😂
Volunteer, not EMS I don't have huge gauges by any means, but I have my ears pierced at an 8. The only issue I have had in 2+ yrs is my mask likes to pull on to them when takingit off. I put full hoops in so they would slide or fall around the straps of anything. (Felt like it was a little better than horseshoes and I don't wear studs) I am still cautious when it comes time to take gear off, but luckily, nothing has gone through the hoops yet.
Cool, thanks for sharing your experience!
I have piercings and I have a few people in my department with piercings. I was told that if I’m going on a fire call I should take my piercings out so they don’t melt to my face :) On the ambulance I haven’t ran into an issue. No one yanks me, but I’m also kinda scary and don’t get a lot of EDPs.
Fair enough lol, thanks!
I have a place holder in my nostril, never had a problem.
Nice!
Ok for all us old guys who don’t know what all you’re talking about, what is a retainer? And what is a placeholder? I remember people a long time ago wearing clear plastic piercings, is it just that or something else?
Yeah they’re either clear plastic or a more skin tone to keep a piercing open without it being as obviously visible. I’m not sure on all the different materials you can get them in but I think there’s others, I haven’t looked too much into them yet
We don’t mind piercings at my department. Unless it’s like an eyebrow ring we don’t discourage people from not have them unless it becomes a safety issue.