Add in any physical activity, and it only gets worse. Drawing breath will be harder in an APR - you’re pulling air through a fairly dense filter, so normal breathing will be affected. So, if the face-hugger creatures from the Alien franchise really freak you out, air-purifying respirators (APRs) will take some getting used to. Hyperventilating and feelings of claustrophobia are fairly common. Plenty of people lose their minds as soon as the “octopus” attaches to their face. All of those areas need to be covered to be properly protected, hence the need for full-face protection. These types of agents not only affect your breathing, but they’re particularly good at disrupting your moist bits, like eyes, mouth, and nose. Considering the nature of these hazards, only full-face respirators are considered. In this article, we’ll discuss two types of threats: CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) and RCAs. That type of threat requires full body protection and coverage - but level A to D chem suits are a topic for another day. If it’s something more nefarious, like VX nerve agent, then a mask is only the first step since the agent can also be absorbed through exposed skin. The penalty for exposure to RCAs is discomfort for a brief period of time. And depending on how uncomfortable you want to be, so will a wet sponge. If the anticipated threat is simply riot control agents (RCA), then any of the masks listed here will be fine. The first question you should consider is whether you even need a gas mask. Today, the M17 is nothing more than a conversation piece since the filters contain chromium, which we now know to be a carcinogen. Lots of people are familiar with the M17 military gas mask, but like everything in life, filters and composition have improved. As threats changed, so did the masks and the technology behind them. Early “masks” were just wet sponges covering the user’s mouth and nose. The history of gas masks is long and varied, in hopes of matching the threat from various different types of agents.
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