![]() ![]() You will not be able to see where your equipment, such as magazines, handcuffs and radio, are.īeing able to access your gear without seeing it is critical.Īnother aspect of mask selection is the ability to adjust the location of the filters. This will become evident when you attempt to locate gear on your belt or vest and have not practiced without looking. Limited vision forces the wearer to move his head much farther left and right than he is used to.īesides affecting your vision left and right, your ability to look down is also limited. This is a concern for operating in high-risk environments, since you must maintain good situational awareness by being able to see what is going on around you. No matter what mask you have, your peripheral vision will be affected, in some cases as much as 25%. Newer masks from MSA and AVON have a single face shield that increases your field of vision considerably. Some older masks, such as the military’s M17 mask, had two eyelets that did not provide the user with a great deal of vision. Besides being an effective mask to stop chemical and biological agents, your ability to see out of the mask is very important. If you have a say in what mask you or your department will use, consider the following. It is time to get the masks out and make them a part of your ongoing training regime.ĭoing a tire flip during PT with masks can build stamina and teach you to monitor your breathing.Īll types of gas masks are available for law enforcement and civilian use. I am sure this occurred in other agencies as well. Unfortunately, after the big push to get the masks issued and some initial training, the masks found their way into patrol bags and lockers and were soon forgotten about. But with the specter of a chemical or biological attack, we were issued individual masks that actually fit properly. They were used primarily for crowd control, with the only threat being CS or CN gas. We’d previously had masks available to us, but they were not individually issued. Soon after 9-11, there was a big rush to equip all officers in our area with gas masks and chemical suits in the event of a terrorist attack. Practice with the filter you will be using. Size and weight difference between a Chem Bio Filter (left) and a standard chemical agent is substantial. But if you ever have to wear a mask when your life is on the line, you’d better have practiced with one first. Private citizens who own masks may never train with one. Most law enforcement officers only train with a gas mask when it is mandated, and that may only happen once a year-if at all. One aspect of officer training that is often overlooked is shooting with a gas mask on. It is often said you should train as much as possible with your equipment so when the time comes to use it for real, everything is second nature. ![]()
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