What Watches do Firefighters Wear?
Time is one of the most important factors in the race to address unfolding catastrophes. A look at the watches on the wrists of first responders.
On February 1st, William Wood, an independent British watchmaker, will be auctioning off a one-of-a-kind Fire Exit watch to raise support for firefighters and the rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles following the wildfires. The brand announced on Instagram the unique timepiece will be “finished in red and white to represent the colours of as US fire exit sign.” They also noted they plan to donate all proceeds from the auction to the LA Fire Department Foundation.
It’s a nice watch and a wonderful cause to be donating to–more brands should follow their lead. The Fire Exit is a cool, kitschy tribute, but even as durable as it is for everyday use, it’s probably not intended for firefighters to be worn in action. (I can’t imagine it would be easy to turn that bezel while wearing thick gloves, and the nearly $2k price tag would surely deter one from bringing it into action.) Be it running into burning buildings or flying planes and helicopters to drop flame retardant and water over the impacted areas, firefighters face a range of extreme conditions that call for gear designed to withstand abuse. So what do first responders have on their wrists?
“All the firefighters that come to my ER wear G-Shocks,” reads one Reddit comment from a now-deleted account under a thread on R/Watches responding to a volunteer firefighter looking for recommendations. By far, the most popular suggestion, across several subreddits, is the Casio G-Shock. On R/Firefighters the Garmin Instinct is also favored and recommended.1 Its reputation as a rugged and dependable timepiece has made it a favorite for first responders. Casio has even curated a selection of their G-Shock designs best suited for police officers, firefighters, and EMTs.
Casio also produces a PRO TREK line of outdoor exploration models with essential survival features like flame-resistant straps and compasses built into bezels. The PRO TREK line identity is grounded in sustainability measures and the use of materials designed to reduce environmental impact. To reduce their footprint they use bio-based resin materials, eco-friendly recycled plastics, and solar charging features. If the G-Shock is a Jeep, the PRO TREK might be considered a Subaru Outback. It might make more sense practicality-wise for firefighters working to put out forest fires rather than urban building fires to spring for the PRO TREK, but aesthetically I get it, the G-Shock has more of an edge.2
The G-Shock has also beat out other watch models built and designed specifically for firefighters like the Chrono 44mm Forest Fire made by Original Grain. Featuring reclaimed firewood preserved in resin, the Forest Fire Chronos were made specifically to bring attention and awareness to forest fires and climate change. Original Grain has also committed to planting a tree for every watch sold, at the time of this writing they claim to have planted over 700 thousand trees.
There is also the I.N.O.X. Carbon Mechanical, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1,260 °C, produced by Victorinox. Best known for their folding tool knives, the patented and trademarked “Original Swiss Army Knife,” Victorinox has a long history of supporting the needs of soldiers and first responders. Less well-known is their connection to firefighting–for over 40 years the brand has had their own firefighter crew. In 2015, for the 150th anniversary of the New York Fire Department, Victorinox teamed up with the FDNY Foundation to produce a special edition of the I.N.O.X. featuring the FDNY Foundation’s logo and a laser engraved case back. The proceeds from the watch went to support fire safety programs.3
In the coming weeks, we can expect to see videos of people recovering charred remains of keepsakes and belongings from the rubble like the footage that came post-Honolulu fires when people found watches with their time stopped at the moment they were consumed by the flames.
While these moments and the loss of more minor possessions may seem trivial in the grand scope of disaster, they reveal something meaningful or at the very least are symbolic of the tragedy of our relationship with time. Alongside the story of Victorinox’s I.N.O.X. firefighting history, there is a quote from Daniel Betschart, an officer in their fire department: “Time is the enemy of a firefighter. Everything that can help to bring it under control becomes a firefighter’s friend.” An auction for one watch is a drop in the bucket, but every drop counts.
Fun fact! The Garmin Instinct was my first big sports watch purchase! I got it because it came in a cute light blue colorway instead of just the regular black typical of digital sportwatches. (I later upgraded to the Garmin Forerunner 945 for more multi-sport functionality.) I can independently confirm first-hand the Instinct’s durability holding up under field stress like falling off a bike in a crash and being dragged across pavement by a 90lb dog running full speed toward some elusive reward.
I also have a pink and rose gold G-Shock GMAS120MF-4A that I adore and bought impulsively based purely on how cool it looked when walking by a jewelry store at the mall. Had I done a moment of research I probably would have gone for one of Casios more subtle G-Shock designs.
If a limited edition FDNY watch speaks to you, William Wood, in addition to the Fire Exit auction, still has its own FDNY collaboration that has raised over $25,000 for fire safety education programs and EMS training programs. The watch is named “The Bravest Watch”
I wore my dad's old analog Timex for years. As a firefighter/paramedic, all I wanted was to be able to tell the time and I needed a second hand to take pulses and to time medication drips. You want the band to be organic some way (meaning not plastic) so that if you end up in a super heated spot, it doesn't melt onto your wrist.
Millionaires wear them. They tell time as well as a Rolex.