Well stated Matt. As a firefighter/EMT/Haz-Mat tech/Instructor, I can suggest we don't get so bent out of shape worrying about WMD events that it alters our lives. What we can do however, is make an evaluation of what we would possibly need to survive without electricity, banking, fuel, etc.... for an extended period of time. Living in the Mid-west, this has become a topic for seasonal survival with weather extremes (tornados, blizzards, heat, etc...). As a hazardous materials technician and instructor........my biggest fear in terms of a WMD event would have to be the dispersion of a virus. Virus' are extremely small, (think of a typical bacteria.....say it's the size of a mini-van, ok, now the virus is the size of the cigarette lighter inside that mini-van). Yes, a far-out analogy, however I hope you get the point. Surplus military "gas" masks are/were effective for the products they were designed to safeguard against. Not one mask will do the job for all WMD threats. Fortunately for us (the responders), we use high quality SCBA and have a choice of several different level A & B suits to choose from. Personally, aside from my work environment, if I absolutely had to have some sort of bio/chem. ensemble at home or in the car, I would choose a Tyvek suit, latex inner gloves/pvc outer gloves, an APR (air purifying respirator) with two or three specific filters and a pair of oversized pull over rubber boots. Keep in mind this is equipment I would only consider wearing for a limited time, then decon and disposal. Furthermore regarding the topic of bio/chem. equipment & supplies and their purchase/use, one has to really consider the everyday tasks (eating, drinking, personal hygiene, sleep, etc...), and question if you and your family can really do this while wearing a bio/chem. protective ensemble.




"Live like you will die tomorrow", "Learn like you will live forever" M.Ghandi