# How important are gas masks?



## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

I have 2 M17 GAS masks with hoods, extra filters, carrying bags and water proof bags. I'm trying to decide if i should keep them or sell them to buy other preps. How important do you feel it is to have gas masks at hand and ready? BTW, the filters are NBC type. :rulaiz:

Let me know your thought please... Thanks.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

If I lived next to a chemical production plant, or rail line rich in ammonia tankers, or a fertilizer tank parking lot (they use ammonia a lot up here), I would keep it. Beyond that, it's a very low probability event. Even if a terrorist wanted to use such a weapon (as the Sarin attacks in the Japanese subways some years ago), it would only be effective in an enclosed and probably public spot (just like said subway stations). Probability of both needing it and having it on hand, nearly nil. I'd sell.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Sale. I don't consider them important elements of my preps for I'm not planning on going to war with anyone that's going to gas me. Its far easier (in my case) to simply retreat again and again.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Unless you can get a lot of money for them, I'd say stick them in the basement. If a nuclear weapon is detonated downwind of you, even on another continent, a mask would be useful against hot particles should the fallout track over your position. When I was a child, the fallout from Chinese and Russian atmospheric tests sometimes landed on Pennsylvania, and farmers had to have their milk tested before bringing it to market.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Gas masks are not a life support tool. People think they will wear gas masks and live on for years after something happens.
Fact of the matter is, the sole purpose and intent behind gasmasks are to extend the BATTLE FIELD LIFE of a soldier - not his overall life. The military has troops deploy with masks to keep a viable soldier longer. It keeps that gun working and helps extend that soldiers life with-in the fight but there is no expectation he will finish the fight.

When it comes time to put your mask on, you are F___ed. That mask means you aren't immediately F___ed and out of the fight - it means you are going to be F___ed sometime in the next 40 or so minutes so you better make the most of it.

As far as preppers are concerned, I see little to no value for gas masks unless you have some special local issue like a chem-plant or nuke power gen plant. For everyone else they are a waste of money. It will literally be the last thing I buy - if I ever get it at all. In all seriousness, SCUBA gear is more useful.

I'd sell them if I were you - but not to anyone that read this thread. These people just read how useless they are. ;-)


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

jbrooks19 said:


> I have 2 M17 GAS masks with hoods, extra filters, carrying bags and water proof bags. I'm trying to decide if i should keep them or sell them to buy other preps. How important do you feel it is to have gas masks at hand and ready? BTW, the filters are NBC type. :rulaiz:
> 
> Let me know your thought please... Thanks.


If you expect hazmat occurence they have a survival benefit but risk is minimal for most.

Bear in mind during civil unrest tear gas and other dipersants are likely. Places like Israel and countires with ongoing militancy are at increased risk.

The issue is such 1. You must carry you mask at all times for it to save you.

Very few events will have afvanced warning and you must monitor alert channels for that always. Additionally aside from industrial accidents .... survival is not guaranteed by a gas mask and you may wish you were dead if you survive.

Dont buy used gas masks ir filters. Buy from a supplier imo.

I wouldnt sell them. Train with one and generate a nrw source of capital for your new buys. Imo

Unless you can realize a meritted gain on the sale. I wouldnt sell them both at loss myself.

Ear protection and eye protection are more important


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## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

GTGallop said:


> Gas masks are not a life support tool. People think they will wear gas masks and live on for years after something happens.
> Fact of the matter is, the sole purpose and intent behind gasmasks are to extend the BATTLE FIELD LIFE of a soldier - not his overall life. The military has troops deploy with masks to keep a viable soldier longer. It keeps that gun working and helps extend that soldiers life with-in the fight but there is no expectation he will finish the fight.
> 
> When it comes time to put your mask on, you are F___ed. That mask means you aren't immediately F___ed and out of the fight - it means you are going to be F___ed sometime in the next 40 or so minutes so you better make the most of it.
> ...


I do agree.. In central Indiana we have no close nuclear plants or chem plants, other than local farmer stores that have pesticides or ammonia on hand. I think i will get rid of them, i took them in on trade and didn't really need them so i figured I'd sell them or something.


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## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

$50ea plus shipping, who wants them??? lol


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> Unless you can get a lot of money for them, I'd say stick them in the basement. If a nuclear weapon is detonated downwind of you, even on another continent, a mask would be useful against hot particles should the fallout track over your position. When I was a child, the fallout from Chinese and Russian atmospheric tests sometimes landed on Pennsylvania, and farmers had to have their milk tested before bringing it to market.


Keep in mind that gas mask filters are items that have expiration dates, and they do degrade significantly. Just an FYI.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Hmmmm. As you say, it's all about location. Since I live near a chemical plant with a history of minor venting events and an industrial gas plant, I feel they have some usefulness. And how far is far enough from a nuclear plant whose containment vessel has been breached by a fracking-induced quake? Shall we ask Toronto Gal?


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

jbrooks19 said:


> I have 2 M17 GAS masks with hoods, extra filters, carrying bags and water proof bags. I'm trying to decide if i should keep them or sell them to buy other preps. How important do you feel it is to have gas masks at hand and ready? BTW, the filters are NBC type. :rulaiz:
> 
> Let me know your thought please... Thanks.


Gas masks are 100% important and should be a part of your preps. So is everything else you could possibly think of, the only problem is no one could afford that much and no one could carry that much. Any item you can think of could and probably would be used if SHTF, only problem is no one can predict the future. When prepping you have to decide how much you can afford, what scenario's are most likely to happen and go from there.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Gas mask are not a important prep folks? What have I missed?

I can see some reasoning to some of these answers, but for something that you can get for $9.99 on ebay or a surplus store, I say throw them in the back of your vehicles like where I have several of mine. Or keep 1 in your bedroom to get out in case there was a fire (again, where I have mine). 

What if IN became another Ferguson and you had to evac but you had clouds of tear gas to drive through? I bet you take them back then right?

Are you not in IN which is close to the secondary ash zone for Yellowstone?


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Can a gas mask save one from ebola in combination with a tyvek suit? Seems like cheap insurance.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

jbrooks19 said:


> $50ea plus shipping, who wants them??? lol


note it is illegal for you to sell outside the US check your ITAR restrictions and insure your buyer is a US citizen. I suggest contacting the state department before making a sale. If it was an m50 m51 m52 or GPR I would


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Will said:


> note it is illegal for you to sell outside the US check your ITAR restrictions and insure your buyer is a US citizen. I suggest contacting the state department before making a sale. If it was an m50 m51 m52 or GPR I would


And I learn something everyday. Thanks for the info Will.


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

I keep 2 around anyway,you never know when they will be useful.


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## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

Will said:


> note it is illegal for you to sell outside the US check your ITAR restrictions and insure your buyer is a US citizen. I suggest contacting the state department before making a sale. If it was an m50 m51 m52 or GPR I would


I keep forgetting this is more than just U.S. members on here...


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> Can a gas mask save one from ebola in combination with a tyvek suit? Seems like cheap insurance.


I think of those nurses that treated the ebola patients.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

James m said:


> I think of those nurses that treated the ebola patients.


True. But I'm not talking about being I direct contact with ebola patients like a medical pro would. Maybe just traveling through a hot zone?


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

I keep gas mask, nitrile gloves, N95 masks and tyvek suits in storage for a just in case situation. I live down wind from the hiway. You never know when a semi carrying hazardous cargo could get in an accident, especially in the winter. Pandemic and/or epidemics traveling around like the Ebola scare. I once saw a map (link unknown) of all of the nuclear power plants. Michigan is more or less surrounded by them. That's another reason why I keep this stuff around.


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## Kumarkalliente (May 1, 2015)

What about the airborne pathogens that come with dead bodies. You come anywhere close to a large city where many people have died and no one has come around to clean up. You going to want some sort of respirator. Don't just look into military surplus. Look into construction types were they have guidelines and standards. I have a 3m full face from doing mold remediation and blood trauma/crime science clean up It kept my lungs clean from multiple airborne bacteria, ammonia, bleach, ( the stupidity of people who would spray mold that was letting out ammonia with bleach. Which an you guess what that makes) meth lab cleaning. 

And you really might not know what Is near you that has potential of airborne hazards, hell if you live in a state that trucks consistently drive from one side of the country to the other with other the dangerous items being transported there should throw some concern up. I mean if you drive by a sewage plant on a hot day you can smell it when its being treated . I'd give it maybe two weeks before it would start to ferment and that's if it not to hot. 


So for me to tell you to sell those two would be good or bad? It would be good but to only by a better and my safety cautious type of respirator.

Scuba gear would be heavy. Lean more towards fire/safety hazamat respirator systems and PPE. or look into the civilian stuff. They don't want you to live a couple hours extra they want you to live for at least 40 years doing it almost everyday.

You need more than just a mask also( because what you can breath can land on your skin and may not hurt your skin but will still be there when you take the mask off. I have I PPE bag ready at all times with a rad meter. Am I expecting? No. Do I look crazy? Yes. Had to explain myself to the police multiple time. Will I isolate the threat of contamination? I sure hope so. That's my point. 
If you don't have deconatimation powder ( depends on what your trying to protect yourself from) dawn antibacterial dish soap will clean bacteria type.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

I'm not going to read all these comments. 

Plain facts.

If you live in a city, a gas mask is important. Not for terrorist attacks, or anything else that people normally think of. For the tear gas and industrial grade riot mace used for crowd control. 

No. It won't kill you. But it is debilitating. It will make you an easy target. It will blur your vision, make breathing difficult, cause your face to burn, MELT YOUR CONTACT LENSES TO YOUR EYEBALLS.

There are other uses, but this is the only truly legitimate highly likely use of a gas mask.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

not sure why this oldie was pulled up .... hopefully the OP decided to keep the gas masks and find $$$$ elsewhere for the continued prepping ....


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