posted on October 2, 2001 04:00:26 PM new
Even here in a suburb of Vancouver, B.C., a local military surplus store owner has sold over 1,000 gas masks since the 11th, a great many of them on eBay going to U.S. residents.
posted on October 2, 2001 04:04:36 PM new
No gas mask for me, I figure I won't carry it on my person, so chances are I will never be where it is....and if my loved ones won't carry one (and they won't) I'll go with them.
Plus without the special suit your probably in trouble even if you have a mask.
posted on October 2, 2001 04:18:05 PM new
CNN had a feature on gas masks, they pointed to several Israelis that died during Desert Storm. They didn't die from a chemical/biological attack, they suffocated wearing their gas masks. CNN also pointed out that most of the gas masks would offer little protection and zero protection unless you had it with you all the time.
I hope those selling the gas mask get top dollar for them. I think those that are prone to panic should pay for their failure to think. I look at it as a stupid tax.
posted on October 2, 2001 04:33:58 PM new
upriver, same here in London, Ontario. We have Novak's here and they're completely sold out (Big news on the radio yesterday!) Couldn't you just make one out of a hepa filter and some duct tape??
posted on October 2, 2001 05:06:39 PM new
From a news story we heard, they pretty much said you would have wear them all time to be "protected". By the time there was any clue that some agent had been released, it would be too late. They also mentioned the 40 hours of training that servicemen go through on the proper use and wearing of them etc.
No, no plans here on being gouged by the panic mongers. Plus, you think inhaling is the only way a lethal product is absorbed into the body? We would all have to wear bio-hazard suits to be anywhere near fully protected from the various poisons and biological agents.
posted on October 2, 2001 05:21:48 PM newMurielHey, if it get's that bad, just let me cross over.
No kidding. I don't believe I'm at risk from an attack where I'd need a gas mask. I would feel like a fool toting a gas mask around with me to grocery stores, football games, the casino, etc..
Even if I was prone to "Chicken Little Syndrone" to feel I needed a gas mask, what sort of person would I need to be to put on a gas mask and apologize to my 9 month old daughter that they don't make them in her size.
posted on October 2, 2001 05:35:13 PM new
Kind of pointless to have a mask without the full suit - the detection gear - medicines you can inject through the suit - and a plan to get out of the area after you know there was an exposure.
I will just pull a plastic bag over my head and accomplish the same thing.
posted on October 2, 2001 05:38:15 PM new
Dang Spaz...you arent going to let me forget that, are ya? I said I was sorry for derailing. But...it was really rawbunz fault. I didnt do nuttin'. She did. I just talked about it. Big difference, ya know
A present for Spaz, to make amends
[ edited by hepburn on Oct 2, 2001 05:40 PM ]
posted on October 2, 2001 06:27:58 PM new
Spaz, too funny!
CNN just had something on them (or something more, as it is kind of endless there), that soldiers are trained to get their masks on in a MAXIMUM of 9 seconds.
So I guess that settles it for me, I can just envision myself fumbling with the thing for about 3 minutes!
Though I do think it would be kind of nifty walking around downtown Vancouver in a complete Biohazard suit & mask, wouldn't that shake a few people up!!
Or maybe just Starbucks, I think they stink anyway!!!
posted on October 2, 2001 08:52:18 PM new
Some are saying that unless you wear the gas mask all of the time it is a totally useless thing to carry around.
posted on October 3, 2001 02:29:16 PM new
In the report I saw last night on MSNBC, the co-author of a book on chemical warfare said that gas masks would most likely be useless as there would be little or no sign of the initial outbreak and you wouldn't know to wear one until it was too late. However, he also pointed out that if it makes people feel safer and/or more secure there is no harm in having one.
posted on October 3, 2001 03:37:32 PM new
The masks that are on the market today are only designed to protect against CS/Tear gas at best. CS/Tear gas is a massive particle when compared to nerve, mustard or chlorine gas. When a soldier is sent into combat, he is issued special filters that protects him from the nastier stuff. Unless you are attending a riot, the masks are useless. In fact, they will cause you to breathe deeper, magnifying the effect.
[ edited by hepburn on Oct 2, 2001 05:40 PM ]