Volunteer Responder Equipment: Difference between revisions
From Portland NET Wiki
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== Respiratory Protection == | == Respiratory Protection == | ||
[[File:N95.2025 revision.jpg|thumb|507x507px|Illustration by [https://www.hughnewell.com/ Hugh Newell].]] | [[File:N95.2025 revision.jpg|thumb|507x507px|Illustration by [https://www.hughnewell.com/ Hugh Newell].]] | ||
:''See also: [https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ppe/php/community-respirators-masks/ CDC guidance on respirators]'' | |||
Respiratory protection for NET volunteers gets complicated and weird because there are at least three different scenarios a NET might need a mask for respiratory protection: protection from communicable disease, protection from wildfire smoke, and protection from a hazardous materials release. There is no single mask that can protect against all of those threats, but an N95 comes close. Therefore, the guidance from PBEM is: | Respiratory protection for NET volunteers gets complicated and weird because there are at least three different scenarios a NET might need a mask for respiratory protection: protection from communicable disease, protection from wildfire smoke, and protection from a hazardous materials release. There is no single mask that can protect against all of those threats, but an N95 comes close. Therefore, the guidance from PBEM is: | ||
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==== What are KN95s? ==== | ==== What are KN95s? ==== | ||
N95s and KN95s have the same filtration target (≥95%). KN95s are manufactured in China, and are common now because of | N95s and KN95s have the same filtration target (≥95%). KN95s are manufactured in China under Chinese safety standards, and are common now because of N95 scarcity during the pandemic. However, KN95s are often not of the same quality as N95s and should only be used if there is no alternative. Quality control in KN95 manufacturing is inconsistent, and many KN95s use ear loops instead of headbands (like N95s) possibly allowing less reliable sealing. | ||
=== | === Respirator Use Matrix === | ||
(work in progress) | (work in progress) | ||
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|Wildfire smoke | |Wildfire smoke | ||
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|House fire or industrial smoke | |||
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|HAZMAT material release | |||
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|Pollen and spores | |||
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