Multitudes of Multi-Tools donated to firefighters by Leatherman

Find out why this internationally-known outer
East Portland firm makes sure each Portland firefighter has a
Multi-Tool‚ and why the firefighters are happy about it‚

 Portland Fire & Rescue firefighter Luis Martinez says his Multi-Tool comes in handy almost every day.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
When
seconds count, how do Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters cut
wires, adjust rescue equipment, or make an on-the-spot repair? They
reach for their Leatherman Multi-Tool.

So maybe the Leatherman tool can’t cut victims out
of a crushed car quite like the Jaws of Life, or see in the dark as
does a thermal imager, but firefighters like Luis Martinez say they are
grateful to receive the handy pocket-sized tool‚ as a gift from the
manufacturer.

An awesome gift
“This
is an awesome gift,” Martinez tells us. “I use mine almost every day.
All the firefighters I know carry their Leatherman on their hip; this
is one thing that doesn’t sit in the drawer. Most guys have two‚ one on
their regular uniform, and one in their turnout pocket.”

Not only is it a tool well-designed for
firefighters, Martinez adds, “It’s great that a local company steps up
to help us, by donating them to the bureau.”

 

Portland Fire & Rescue’s Lt. Allen
Oswalt; Battlion Chief 3 Chris Babcock and Leatherman Tool’s Roger
Bjorklund and Juli Warner get together for a photo, at the formal
presentation of the Multi-Tools to the bureau.

Firefighters a good source of product feedback
“With
new recruits coming into the bureau,” says Roger Bjorklund, VP
Marketing Leatherman Tool Group, “we know City budgets are tight,
especially to buy products like this. We wanted to make sure all of our
Portland firefighters were able to carry the Multi-Tool.”

Although firefighters aren’t involved in any formal
product research project, “They’re great at giving product feedback,”
explained Bjorklund. “They use the Multi-Tools so much; they’ve given
us good ideas about how to improve our products. We’ve all benefited
from the relationship.”

© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service

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