Jim,
Thank you for your hard work on maintaining the SurvivalBlog. I was
first introduced to survival ideas in the late 1990s when I read
your novel "TEOTWAWKI" (I read it again when it
was [expanded and] re-published as "Patriots".)
I truly appreciate the time and effort you spend promoting a self-reliant
way of life. I
am an
Air Force
NBC instructor (have been for about 8 years now) and I am concerned
that recent posts on your web site will lead people to believe that
military gas masks will protect them from industrial chemical releases.
Military masks (M17, M40, M45, MCU-2 series, and others) are designed
for battlefield concentrations of chemical agents. Battlefield concentrations
of chemical agents are expected to be lower than those that result
from industrial releases. These masks are not designed to protect
the wearer from toxic industrial materials including chlorine. The
Army Technical Manuals (TMs.) and Air Force Technical Orders (TOs)
for masks using the C2A1 canister all contain warnings about the
limitations of the C2A1 canisters.
Here is an excerpt from the MCU-2 technical order dated 24 June 2004
(about a decade after the introduction of the C2A1 canister):
"WARNING. The MCU-2 Series mask is not an authorized respiratory device
for industrial chemical use. The canister will not protect against ammonia or
carbon monoxide, and the mask is not effective in confined spaces where there
is not enough oxygen in the air to support life." Here is an excerpt from
Air Force Manual 10-100 ,dated 1 June 2004:
"The mask is ineffective in industrial chemical environments such as ammonia
or chlorine spills, or within carbon monoxide atmospheres." I
realize that some companies (Scott and 3M) manufacture filters that do protect
against chlorine and are compatible with the threads on most
military masks; however, the military canisters do not provide this level of
filtration. It is important that people know the capabilities and limitations
of any protective equipment prior to using it. Thanks again for your work on
SurvivalBlog. I hope that this information is helpful. Thank
you. - Scott
Visitor Map
