This is how my car is packed 24-7

[Gary D.]

Hey Gary

If its got to be in a car that looks like a pretty good setup you got.

One question. What happen to your coat? It looks like someone may have peed on it!!! hehe

mark

Had it on the trunk in the snow hehehe.

It has worked well over the years. One of our divers got rearended in a Caprice at over 100 mph. Gear stayed intact. Another one rolled 3 times and the gear never moved. Works well.

Gary D.

 

[glbirch]

Kilo, did I hear "kilo"???

'kilo', short for kilogram, a measure of mass used most places in the world other than the US.

Just kidding. Doesn't everybody need that much saffron for cooking?

 

[Allison Finch]

It must be nice not having to transport bad guys. I carry more of them than I ever get diving calls. I would think all of the delicate smaller gear would be carried in the trunk or front seat floor (for stuff that could be heat damaged). I woudn't want a prisoner to be able to mess with my gear.

 

[Gary D.]

It must be nice not having to transport bad guys. I carry more of them than I ever get diving calls. I would think all of the delicate smaller gear would be carried in the trunk or front seat floor (for stuff that could be heat damaged). I woudn't want a prisoner to be able to mess with my gear.

We still have to transport. If we get a fighter the gear gets pulled and stuffed between the trunk and front seat.

Pack the gear right and they can't get to it. It is so tight in the back of our cars that anything over a size 9 stays planted on the floor. If they puke it just hits the cover which is easy to clean or throw away and get a new one.

We try not to store any rescue equipment in the trunk except ropes and some backup stuff. During the winter the gear needs to be warmed up fast so we can get into it. No heat in the trunk is a problem.

Gary D.

 

[garyfotodiver]

This is a great setup! I'm very glad Gary D. and his associates took the time to work this all out.

Hope others evaluate it and adapt it to their needs.

 

[scubaranger]

great set up Gary d and this probaly work especially good with that 3:00 a.m. dive call and you can't see anything you know where everything is at. I've had people call me overprepared sometimes but these are the same people that look at me when the stuff hits the fan and they don't have the right tool for the job.
alex t.

 

[Mako Mark]

Not even sure what we'll ever do with things like kalonji, fenungreek, and a half kilo of saffron.

A curry aint a curry without fenugreek.

Cool pikkies.

 

[Gary D.]

Here is another thing about our cars I forgot to mention.

If a new car came in for a specific deputy that was on SRU or the Dive Team it had beefier suspension. It was either ordered from Ford or done after-market.

Starting in 2003 ALL of our cars will be ordered with the heaviest suspension possible.

I have a total of, give or take ten pounds, 400 pounds of dive and rescue gear between my back seat and trunk. With the new suspension package the car sank only ¼” in the rear. As far as handling goes I can’t tell much difference, if any, in the vehicles handling. These new Police Interceptors handle like they are on rails even with the added weight. According to Ford the extra duty suspension was designed around divers and SRU. I don’t know how true that is but it sure works well.

April 29 we had a Division inspection with all but two of the operations Deputies and cars there. Spit and polished to the max, cars, equipment and us. The brass was very impressed. So much so that every one of the divers got a “Letter of Commendation” from the Division Commander. That is the second highest award one can get through our department.

All of our top brass are divers and the only one who has not been a PSD is the Sheriff. We were all quite shocked when we got the letters.

You can’t have an administration with better understanding of what we do than this one.

Gary D.

 

[Boater Dan]

Gary:

Congrats on the inspection and letter of commendation. Most well deserved.

I know what my personal vehicle looks like between my fire, dive, and river rescue gear. For your's to show up so well is a testament to your dedication to service!

Dan

 

[Scuba Duke]

Gary, I like the way you have everything set up. It looks like a lot of thought and planning went into the way eveything is stored. That is one of the reasons I keep asking for a Crown Vic. I currently drive the only marked Dodge Intrepid (The Chief has one as does the Capt. of Defectives.) The back seat is tiny and the trunk in virtually non-existant. After the VCR for the camera, extra traffic stuff (latex/ rubber gloves, resperators, traffic wands, blanket) and a couple of small cones, there is almost NO room. Maybe the pcitures of your cars setup will convince them I could really use a crown vic.