Start with the disposables and work your way up.

Most people should have a mix of cheap disposables and a half-face model in their emergency bags, and possibly a CBRN- or NBC-rated gas mask at home.

Most important tips for emergency respirators: So you can’t depend on finding respirator masks easily when you need them at the last minute. So are the disposable N95/P100 ones that form a tight seal around your nose and mouth, or the half-face versions commonly used in industrial or construction settings.ĭuring the 2017 wildfires that choked major California cities with smoke, local stores completely sold out as people rushed in to buy masks. When people refer to “gas masks”, those are respirators. There are common but serious misunderstandings about lingo, how they work, and what types of masks work well for emergencies (rather than masks meant for painting or sawing).įor example, the masks you see many people wear during daily life in Asia do almost nothing to protect you from external threats like disease - they are designed to protect other people from you. Yet many preppers either overlook them entirely, think N95 is the answer to everything, or buy a cheap gas mask while believing they can bug out to Chernobyl.

Respirators have a nice cost/weight/volume to benefit ratio, especially the smaller disposable ones, and should be in every emergency kit. Don’t forget to protect your eyes, too, and that exhalation valves on masks means you could be spreading the virus via blowing it out of your mask. Here’s a collection of DIY mask instructions, tips on safely putting on and taking off your mask, and you can follow COVID updates and analysis here.

But in this case you can still make a meaningful difference protecting yourself and others with simple face masks. Bandanas, dust masks, and surgical masks are not respirators and are not something you should rely on in emergencies!ĬOVID editor’s note January 24 2020: It’s basically impossible for a consumer to find a proper respirator after the initial panic buying and severe lack of government/hospital preparation. The best masks for emergencies are respirators because they prevent bad stuff from getting into your respiratory system.

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