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Gas Masks

9K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  RodUSMC 
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 could use a suggestion on gas masks for my wife and I. The only thing I'm worried about is riot police shooting tear gas near my complex and having the wind blow it into our unit. I'm not too worried about other chemicals.
For your purpose the Cheaper than dirt military suplus masks are perfect. CS gas disperses quickly or can be showered off and is (mostly) not life threatening. A special suit s not needed, just a cheapo gas mask.
 
20 miles from an ammo dump

SN, I live about 20 miles from a military base which trains, and stores chem weapons. The wind would usually blow anything away from us. Should we be worried?
On the first point you are right; the wind is your best ally.

Chemicals are a little out of my specialty. My forte is nukes. I will answer you with a hefty IMHO and address the question if I were in your shoes and compared to what I actually would do and am doing.

1/ A 72 hour kit is your best friend

2/ a half tank of gas, as a habit, is your next best friend.

3/ A 2-week supply of food, water and medicine, even before you break into your long-term food storage is a must.

Here is an article about building a safe room.

Homeland Security News » Safe Room

4/ Therefore, some cheap painter's tarps, duct tape and a homemade filter system complete your preparation. Download the free manual on Nuclear Survival. It is dated, but has some valuable parallel ideas. I sell the disk on eBay for $4. It has the complete manual and about 50 other e-versions of medical and survival manuals.

Masks will work for Military chemical agents, but what do you do to decontaminate your body. Some agents will kill you with just a small dot of agent on your skin. The Israeli's have child size masks, and they also shelter in place. But they are under threat of deliberate, delivered agents. Such was Dugway. A single canister breaking open and haphazardly dropping agent on the ground is a very minute threat.

A safe room is a much better idea.

In the Army, we would spend 30 minutes to 3 hours a day in full mask while on 30 day field exercises. Not fun. We also lived in our chemical suits 24 hours a day. Still, if hit with NBC weapons, we would still have taken casualties, both from the attack and the iffy process of decontamination. To have your children strap on a rubber mask that restricts breathing and makes you sweat like a pig is just cruel and impractical. For anyone who has bought a surplus mask in this thread, try wearing it for an hour and then tell me it is the best solution. I DARE YOU!

I read the wiki article on the Dugway incident.

Dugway sheep incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It agrees that the threat is heavier than air particles dispersed deliberately as an aerosol. Wind, Temperature, humidity and luck all play into determining the dispersal pattern and the "hang-time".

Terrorists are stupid. Unprepared civilians are stupider.

NOTE: some duct tape does not stick well to plastic tarps. Check your stock out to make sure it works and rotate your duct tape thru normal use.

BLUF: I'm okay where you are and wouldn't worry. Anyone should have steps 1-4 on hand. Rest. Enjoy life. Look forward to retirement.
 
In my humble opinion,

Protective Masks are effective if not overkill for Biological Weapons or Nuclear Fallout in applied situations.

As far as Chemical scenarios go, when atropine injectors or 256 kits are discussed, then unless you are going to have a complete manned and supervised ventilated shower decontamination station, you are just going to die anyway when a pinhead sized drop from your suit can touch your skin and kill you in short order.

I respect anyone who wants to pursue info or prep for this, but the best survivablity scenario is the same as a nuclear fallout shelter and that is my prep plan.

Venturing outdoors in a chemical situation is simple suicide for a civilian.

I welcome the lighthearted debate to fall on my head over this:dunno:
 
I am not trying to be a know it all, just like the active discussion of pros and cons. As far as the above two posts (and previous concerning the same) I agree with you 100%.

My advice to not bother would be to one who's experience would be laying money on the table at a surplus store for gear and thinking they were "ready".

Bunkerbob and allen_idaho, et al, I agree you definitely undertand the benefits and limitations and i appreciate hearing your ideas and concerns.

Your plans are feasible, well thought out and definitely ahead of my own.:beercheer:
 
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