A Real Tough Jacket

I love the Filson Tin Cruiser because it is so uniquely tough and you won't find it at any store in the city. You can't wash it or dry clean it, in fact the company says that some customers "just hose 'em down at the end of the day." The jacket was designed nearly 100 years ago for loggers and is made of something they call Tin Cloth, which is the exact opposite of anything they carry at Barney's. If I'm called upon to clean debris in the middle of a storm, I'll be wearing this thing!

A Good Pair of Boots

The gold standard of work boots among city construction workers is the Timberland Men's Waterproof 6 Inch Premium Boot. When I was down at the Javits Center after 9/11 to volunteer, people wearing sneakers were told in no uncertain terms that they'd get hurt. When disaster strikes, the ground can be littered with sharp objects. If you're going to be walking around in that environment you need to protect your feet. Yes there are more exotic, expensive and tougher boots out there but these do the job. You might also want to invest in a few packs of Blist-O-Ban blister bandages. The NY Times ran a story recently about various blister treatment options and this brand came out on top.