Since 911 I've been treating a victim who was trapped in an adjacent building, then eventually evacuated through the clouds of smoke, dust, and other particulates in the air. When I recently asked "what do you wish you had with you", NONE of our PSK items came up. What came up was: Swimmers goggles, and a paper painters face filter. This person still goes into a panic attack triggered by smoke/large dust particles in the air.

So what do you think? I think I'll add the goggles (they're tiny) and a filter-paper mask or two. I know Chris K probably never goes anywhere without his cowboy rag silk scarf and scuba mask. Do you guys think that eye and dust protection is worth considering for an Urban PSK?

Urban kits are a problem aren't they? They need to cover so many potential situations. I use a kit losely based on Lofty Wiseman's, but as I work in a number of large public buildings in the UKs second largest city I've been forced to consider a 911 type scenario. I now have a dust mask and goggles in my laptop bag. So, on balance I'd say at this moment in time there may be a need for them.

I've thought about it, but not yet done it. I do carry a silk handkercheif in the shoulder pouch I commute with, as well as a fleece "neckover" tube that might help.

I spent some time thinking about this after 9/11, and I think I would do something similar if I were working in a high rise. At the moment I'm moving from the 5th floor in one building to the 2nd floor in another, and the scenarios where I might be dealing with smoke/dust for long periods of time seem unlikley enough not to warrant the preparation. Not only are these low buildings a much less likely target, but if something did happen, it should be much easier to get out and away in short order.

Just remember to ignore the voice on the PA system telling you to return to your desk...

HI !

Last time I went to my physician, she had a cold, and was wearing a light mask, in order to lessen the distribution of her own microbes ... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Next time, I will asked her for some of those. They seem light and small enough to easily add to a PSK.


Alain

I read an article a while back (I think it was in the New Yorker) about survivalists living in NYC. The EDC of one of the folks interviewed included one of those smoke escape hoods. I wonder if that would be worthwhile to have or are they just too big?

Chris

I added a pair of clear Gargoyles safety glasses to my carry bag after our earthquake. I had not thought of adding a more sealed type of goggles, but this would be a good idea considering the amount of dust kicked up by the quake and certainly by a building collapse.

Ditto on the dust mask. I think the hospital type may not be adequate for high dust environments. There is a Federal standard for dust masks...cannot remember the number but these are available at the Home improvement stores. Eye protection and a dust mask are required equipment in my CERT kit.

I am going to tuck a Dust mask in my carry bag. I always have both a silk and cotton bandana on my person as fall back.

Casual Hero- which city do you work in and doing what?

i dunno about the size but some of them also filter out carbon monoxide and other nasty gasses withs a dust mask won't. note that escape mask are not only for 9/11 type of terrorist atacks, they are very nise things to have wenn there is "just" a fire.
here is one of those masks http://saferamerica.com/productDetail.asp?categoryID=12&productID=55

I have the EVAC-U8 smoke hood and I carry it when I'm travelling. I take it out during take offs and landings on the airplane and place it by my bedside in the hotel.
It has raised a few eyebrows on the airplane from other fellow passengers so I jsut explain to them what it is when they ask. <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Anyway, its about the size of pepsi can and twice as heavy.

Pros are :
small package
hood protects eyes and face from smoke / heat
filters out carbon monoxide (which is the major killer in most fires)
5 year shelf life
If you do use it in an actual emergency , the distributor will replace it for free! (may vary with area)

Cons:
costly compared with goggles and simple mask
needs more space to store
has a shelf life

Consider both options carefully and if it fits your specifications you might want to get one.......<img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I had quite a scary experience while on holiday a few years back. There was a fire in the hotel in the middle of the night. I had to evacuate the hotel with my wife and two sleeping kids. I grabbed money and documents and left via the emergency exit and exited into the cold night air! And we were in PJs. Being from the tropics all the time, it didn't occur to me to grab the blankets to keep my kids & wife warm (myself too). We were shivering in the luckily not too cold ( about 10 deg C ) night air. Luckily it was just a small fire and we were back in the rooms in about 1 hour.

Therefore now with hindsight, I have all my stuff in a pack by the bedside together with the smoke hood should it happen again ( Hope not! )

The escape hoods I've seen are probably the best thing to have due to their CO2 protection. I carry a pair of ski goggles and dust mask in my backpack that goes most places with me. Be careful of scuba masks. They seem like a good idea being sealed and all, but if you don't put defog in them they'll steam up when you start to sweat, and if I ever have to use mine, I can assure you that I WILL be sweating. GI sun/wind/dust goggles would probably work, but I have no experience with these. The respirator I carry I picked up at Home Depot last summer. It's paper, similar to those worn by medical personel, but thicker and it is actually a harmful dust respirator. It's made by 3M, model N 95. I know it's not the best solution, but it folds inside the goggles, so it doesn't take up any more room, which means I'm much more likely to have it (not to mention the price is much easier on a college student's budget). Looking on their website, it seems HD actually has a mask that supercedes the protection of the one I have. I don't recall seing these in the store, so maybe I'll check that out. If I do I'll be sure to report back.
I'm sure different things will work better for different people, but I feel that this one will work for me, but hopefully it'll never have to.

Chris.

PS-- I can't get the link to behave, but if you go to Home Depot's main site and do a search on respirators, it should give you both the mask I have and the one that seems to be a little better.

Good info! I carry a quality dust mask from Home Depot in my Day Runner Urban PSK, plus a red bandana and white handkerchief. The goggles make sense, and should be light weight enough - I'll get a pair soon. Thanks, Tom

Very good point! I am thinking about some kind of a gas mask, but for another reason. I travel to some countries, where toilets stink so much, that I try to avoid them. But in some occasions it is impossible. Any light fibre masks and handkerchiefs did not help because they are good for dust, but not for smell. I have been once in a toilet where some smart person put a Soviet gasmask!!! It worked perfect, but too bulky to carry. It may sound funny, but for me it is a big issue! Does anybody know some masks or respirators that are relatively compact, cheap and reusable, which I could use for this purpose? I do not need goggles.

that reminds me of a small protest action agains mine dad smoking, i putted mine soviet gasmask on <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ...
to stop smell, you could try to find carbon filter masks, the ones that stop paint fumes. havent try them against smoke or in restrooms, though.

For odors you need to use an activated charcoal filter. For the price the best i have found are the 3m disposable organic vapor filter. It is smaller than a gas mask and light weight, but it is still not small enough to fit in your back pocket. These also have OSHA approved dust filters that are replaceable. You should be able to purchase one at an automotive paint and body supply for less than $20 US. I have not tried one for problem bathroom odors but i believe that it would work, i have used it for other things that smell and it works really well.

I carry a basic dustmask and clear plastic glasses in my "truck first aid kit". I don't think I world personally carry them in an Urban PSK. However, they would not take up much room, or weigh much. Another idea: I used to carry a combo facemask with a splash guard before I got what I carry now. This was very flat and small, (even lighter).

Neither of these options seals off the face or eyes too well; good for splash protection but not for particulate matter.

The Ben Meadows company would be a good source for eye and face protection. I just got one of these catalogs the other day-- I must have left it at work, or I'd give you the web address.

:-) Tim H

For smell - a bit of Caramex in a dust mask/under the nose.

Actually, IIRC the medical grade masks will filter smaller particles than dust masks.

Activated charcoal needs to be "fresh" or freshly opened. Any moisture really detracts from the effectiveness.

Most neck scarves are made from fleece. Fleece, nylon, poly, etc are the things I'd LEAST want to wear. It burns/melts. Leather, cotton and wool will burn, but only at much higher temps.

I've always liked the idea of the evac-u-ate. But I'd still carry goggles and dust mask - the evac-u-ate would be great in situations where the heat/smoke/lack of O2 may be a problem, but if you use it for dust then you won't have it for the environments where the dust masks alone will not help.

IIRC CO and CO2 REPLACE O2. You cannot fix this with any type of filter.

Where are the firefighters here?

You are correct about the low O2 concentration. One thing to consider with any type of filtration system in heavy smoke/toxic fumes, is the possible lack of O2. While the filtration system can and will filter the smoke and toxic fumes, oxygen may be displaced enough so that the filtered air that is actually being breathed may not have an oxygen concentration sufficient to support life. That is why when we are involved in a structural fire, we wear self-contained-breathing-apparatus (SCBA) or for confined space rescues supplied-air-breathing-apparatus (SABA), which supply's us with breathable air. Due to both heat and low oxygen, the adage of keeping low to the floor in the event of fire/smoke filled room/building, would still apply even if one is wearing a filtration device. The filtration device should not lead to a false sense of security; your main goal should still be to get out as soon as possible. Pete

Is it Model#00817682? MSA Safety Works Toxic Respirator for Harmful dust with ExhalationValve .I keep one in my tool bag and PSK Bag.For people wearing eyeglass's It's a must! No Fogging! On 9-ll my nefhew and his entire company of NYPD recruit's were sent from the Acd.to the site.I saw his wife and gave her a box of these and Vick's vapor rub for him to pass around to his men