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Gas Masks - WARNING
I think there is potential for a lot of deadly misinformation in this thread. Please be careful.
I retired from the Army in '95. Specialty was Nuclear Weapons / Special Weapons Team. If my information is wrong or misleading, please accept my apologies.
Military Gas Masks filter particles out of the air. If you are wearing a military mask in a chlorine or muriatic acid environment (like someone suggested for testing purposes) YOU WILL DIE. When a chemical replaces air (chlorine, carbon monoxide, ammonia, etc) the military filter is useless.
If you pour dirt through a water filter, you will not get water. If you filter a chemical through a gas mask, you will NOT get oxygen.
The term "gas mask" is a misnomer.
Blood agents, nerve agents, blister agents, certain biological agents are heavier than air and are filtered by the mask filters, just like a water filter would filter micro bugs or sand from creek water
The further problem, is once you take the mask off, the mask in your hands, your clothing and environment is still contaminated with the offending agent. It is a specific military specialty to decontaminate (ever seen ET....)
Dust filters / masks are a useful piece of gear in your kit. DISTANCE is your only saviour for a chemical spill. (or a scuba tank, but come on....)
Please rethink the information being passed out here. It will kill someone.
Any firefighters/ EMT's want to lend a hand on this subject?
PS--the fibers in military gas mask filters degrade over time, that's why they are sold off. The US Military tosses their sealed filters after 2-3 years. MRE's last longer than filters. Aren't Saabs made in Sweden too? I don't keep one of those in my BOB either.
Think twice about this friends. I can go on about chemicals but for now, this topic should be the one who dies.
I think there is potential for a lot of deadly misinformation in this thread. Please be careful.
I retired from the Army in '95. Specialty was Nuclear Weapons / Special Weapons Team. If my information is wrong or misleading, please accept my apologies.
Military Gas Masks filter particles out of the air. If you are wearing a military mask in a chlorine or muriatic acid environment (like someone suggested for testing purposes) YOU WILL DIE. When a chemical replaces air (chlorine, carbon monoxide, ammonia, etc) the military filter is useless.
If you pour dirt through a water filter, you will not get water. If you filter a chemical through a gas mask, you will NOT get oxygen.
The term "gas mask" is a misnomer.
Blood agents, nerve agents, blister agents, certain biological agents are heavier than air and are filtered by the mask filters, just like a water filter would filter micro bugs or sand from creek water
The further problem, is once you take the mask off, the mask in your hands, your clothing and environment is still contaminated with the offending agent. It is a specific military specialty to decontaminate (ever seen ET....)
Dust filters / masks are a useful piece of gear in your kit. DISTANCE is your only saviour for a chemical spill. (or a scuba tank, but come on....)
Please rethink the information being passed out here. It will kill someone.
Any firefighters/ EMT's want to lend a hand on this subject?
PS--the fibers in military gas mask filters degrade over time, that's why they are sold off. The US Military tosses their sealed filters after 2-3 years. MRE's last longer than filters. Aren't Saabs made in Sweden too? I don't keep one of those in my BOB either.
Think twice about this friends. I can go on about chemicals but for now, this topic should be the one who dies.