Lets discuss the true aspects of chemical and biological weapons and stop acting like a bunch of flaming jackasses. I for one am sick and tired of listening day in and day out to individuals who's only claim to adulthood is their physical ages whine and bitch about a subject they know shit about.
1. Chemical weapons are NOT silver bullets.
2. Chemical weapons are extremely dificult to employ efectively.
3. Biological weapons DO NOT act the same way in nature that they do in the lab.
4. Gas masks suck (try wearing your new mask while you cut your grass this weekend).

Advise anyone thinking of buying a mask to spend the cash on a quality firearm, lots of ammo and several trips to the range.

Semper Fi

I am well aware of the limits of gas masks, and how bad they are. You can do things in them, we even had mopp 4 driving training.
I am concerned because I am 30 miles down wind of Dow Michigan Operations.
The half hour it will take me to load the jeep, and the half hour to drive southwest, mean I and my wife would be breathing some chemicals. Our cats would breath everything, masks may keep some things out of our lungs.

So what ? I live within the lethal radius of a nuclear plant but I don't own a freakin' lead suit. Did your matching his and hers masks come with the house or did you buy them after the latest scare ? Also what chemicals does the plant produce ? how much does it store on site ? What constituts a lethal dose ? What are the local weather paterns ?   blah blah blah blah

my proximity to a chemical plant also influenced my purchase of a gas mask.

just becasue the masks were designed for NBC warfare doesn't mean that don't have any other uses.

I bought a gas mask not to save myself from a terrorist attack, but to help me in the riots that could follow (assuming I survive the attack).  

Better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Well said ECR.

As per the meeting with a FEMA official I attended this very morning:
"The gas masks that civilians are buying are worse than useless.  They are, for the most part, outdated surplus models that are equipped with outdated or practice filters.  Many even have holes in them.  We are advising those who call us for advice on these not to buy them."

Now the tinfoil chapeau set can jump in and explain why FEMA has a vested interest in making sure that you succumb to a terrorist NBC attack.  I had some NBC training in the NG back in the early 80's; based on what I learned there and today it is my opinion that having one of the masks people are typically buying is just about as good as not having any mask at all.  Buy one if it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling of security, but it is little different than a child clutching a teddy bear.

I have gotten a lot use out of my mask. It works very well when you  are camping and the toilet smells.

This is why you need a bugout bag.  Every household should have one in case an emergency evacuation is necessary.  I've got a very basic one, but it's enough to keep my family and I fed and alive for 3 days minimum if we have to run to the hills.

God Bless Texas

If you are under actively biological or chemical attack, by the time you reach of rhe mask (if you can remember where you left it), it's too late.  Kinda like putting on the condom after you've...well you get the picture.

You guys are forgetting about EMP. There are $400 dollar E-bombs out there that can turn our very technologically based civilization into an instant stone age/electricity free wasteland.
[url]http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2001/9/e-bomb/print.phtml
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After that, the other forms of terrorist attack could potentially come into play with devastating effect. All this misinformation about gas masks not working or not worth the effort is bull crap, it may not work for those at ground zero, silent but deadly, but there is a little force of nature called wind. Nerve agents even in small dilute doses can cause paralysis or blindness. The Sarin gas attack in Tokyo was considered a failure because only 12 people died. But everyone forgets the hundreds/thousands of people that are now quadriplegics, have nervous system damage "(colostomy bag fun)" and are blind because of the attack. A NBC gas mask would've come in real handy for these people.

I don't need to buy a mask.  I work for an environmental consulting firm we a lot of these goodies on hand already (Respirators, tyvek, rubber booties, gloves) We may even have some Level A stuff around here somewhere.  Now if I can just find my mask.

ps

You are right this stuff is a bitch to wear.