ON DUTY

What ON DUTY does

ON DUTY INC. is a small, family-owned manufacturer founded in 1989 in Yucaipa, California, by Don Culotta, a 31-year veteran of the Ontario Fire Department. The company was launched after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake and designs, patents, and produces a single core product, the ON DUTY 4 in 1 Emergency Tool, which integrates gas shut-off, water shut-off, door prying, and debris digging into a unit weighing under one pound and made from heat-treated aerospace-grade alloy in the United States. An optional Fire Safety Tool Wall Mount is offered as an accessory.

The company sells through direct e-commerce and a reseller program, with bulk institutional orders handled via quote-based pricing. Its stated customer base spans federal, state, and local government agencies; first responders including firefighters and law enforcement; the military; nonprofits such as the American Red Cross and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT); and general consumers purchasing for household preparedness. Manufacturing is conducted in partnership with OPARC, an organization employing individuals with disabilities.

The business model is product-driven rather than service- or platform-driven: revenue is generated from unit sales of one primary SKU plus one accessory, with no disclosed recurring revenue, subscription, or software component. No external funding, acquisitions, geographic expansion beyond the U.S., or material headcount growth are evidenced. The competitive position rests on patented design, founder credibility as a firefighter, and endorsement relationships with preparedness organizations rather than on technology differentiation or data assets.

Name

ON DUTY

Legal name

ON DUTY INC.

Website

https://onduty1.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ON DUTY INC., founded in 1989 in Yucaipa, California, manufactures the patented ON DUTY 4-in-1 Emergency Tool, a sub-one-pound device combining gas and water shut-off, prying, and debris-digging functions, sold to first responders, government agencies, military, nonprofits, and consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yucaipa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 4 in 1 Emergency Tool Sales: ON DUTY generates revenue primarily through the sale of its 4 in 1 Emergency Tool, a physical hardware product sold as a one-time purchase. The tool is available in space-saving bulk packaging for resellers and as individual units. Additional revenue comes from the Fire Safety Tool Wall Mount accessory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

ON DUTY manufactures and sells the patented ON DUTY 4 in 1 Emergency Tool, a lightweight (under 1 lb) USA-made handheld tool that combines four emergency functions: shutting off gas valves, shutting off water meters, prying open jammed doors and cabinets, and digging through debris. The tool is built from a heat-treated aerospace-grade alloy that won't rust or spark, and is offered alongside a wall-mount accessory for storage and display.

Product overview

ON DUTY offers a focused product portfolio centered on the ON DUTY 4 in 1 Emergency Tool™ as the core offering, complemented by the Fire Safety Tool Wall Mount™ as an add-on accessory. The main tool is a single physical multi-function emergency device that combines four capabilities—shutting off gas, shutting off water, prying open doors, and digging through debris—into one lightweight (under 1 lb) handheld tool. The wall mount accessory provides convenient storage and visibility for the emergency tool next to fire extinguishers or by natural gas meters. The company was established in 1989 and is headquartered in Yucaipa, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ON DUTY 4 in 1 Emergency Tool A patented, USA-made emergency tool designed and tested by professional firefighters. Combines four emergency functions: shuts off gas valves (including commercial gas valves via a special slotted handle), shuts off water meters, pries open jammed doors/cabinets, and digs through debris with a patented rubbish claw. Made from a heat-treated aerospace-grade alloy that won't rust or spark; weighs less than 1 pound; covered by a 5-year warranty. Sold to firefighters, law enforcement, government agencies, military, and consumers.
• Fire Safety Tool Wall Mount

Quantifiable outcome

• American Red Cross recommends a tool for turning off gas and water be included in every disaster supplies kit

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe American Red Cross recommends that a tool for turning off gas and water be included in every disaster supplies kit, implicitly recommending the ON DUTY 4 in 1 Emergency Tool for disaster preparedness.
• OPARC (Ontario Professional Assistance Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerON DUTY supports America's Disabled through a partnership with OPARC. The company provides employment opportunities for America's disabled through manufacturing of the emergency tool.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• LifeHammer: LifeHammer manufactures emergency escape tools (seatbelt cutters, window breakers) for vehicles and buildings. It is the closest direct peer to ON DUTY in the emergency-response handheld tool category, both serving first responders and preparedness-conscious consumers with compact, single-purpose safety tools.
• UST (Ultimate Survival Technologies): UST produces survival and emergency preparedness gear including multi-tools, fire starters, and disaster kits. It directly overlaps ON DUTY in the emergency-preparedness handheld tool space, targeting both outdoor/emergency consumers and institutional buyers.
• Ready America: Ready America sells disaster preparedness kits, emergency supplies, and shelter-in-place products to households, schools, and government agencies. It is a direct peer addressing the same preparedness buyer, often bundling tools alongside other disaster supplies.
• QuakeHOLD!: QuakeHOLD! manufactures earthquake-specific safety products including strap kits, cabinet latches, and emergency tools. It targets the same earthquake-driven preparedness use case as ON DUTY, with strong overlap in the Western US and government/Red Cross channels.
• Leatherman: Leatherman is a leading multi-tool manufacturer serving first responders, military, and consumers with compact multi-function hand tools. It is a direct peer to ON DUTY in the multi-function handheld tool format, though broader in use cases.
• Gerber Gear: Gerber produces multi-tools, knives, and emergency preparedness products sold through outdoor, military, and government channels. It overlaps with ON DUTY in multi-function tools and in first-responder/military buyer relationships.
• SOG Specialty Knives & Tools: SOG makes multi-tools, knives, and specialty tools sold to military, law enforcement, and consumer markets. It competes in the same multi-function handheld tool category as ON DUTY and shares the first-responder distribution channel.

Broad incumbents

• First Alert: First Alert is a major brand of residential safety products including smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and emergency preparedness kits. It is a broad incumbent in the home safety/emergency preparedness space that overlaps ON DUTY's consumer buyer but at much larger scale.
• Kidde: Kidde is a large fire safety products company offering smoke alarms, extinguishers, and related safety equipment through retail and contractor channels. It is a broad incumbent comparable to ON DUTY on the public-safety buyer side but at significantly greater scale and distribution depth.
• Stanley Black & Decker: Stanley Black & Decker is a global tool conglomerate whose hand tool and outdoor brands overlap with ON DUTY's category. As a broad incumbent, it has the scale and distribution to enter or expand in the emergency preparedness tool segment if it gains traction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ON DUTY