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| Photo By Airman 1st Class Randall Burlingame | Lt. Michael J. Avalone, bioenvironmental engineering officer in the 104th Medical Group, prepares Daniel Estee, Lt. Firefighter at the 104th Fighter Wing, for his annual respiratory fit test alongside Master Sgt. Jeffery D. Allard, the NCO in charge of the bioenvironmental engineering shop. All 24 firefighters come through the shop to have their annual mask fit tests conducted. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Randall S. Burlingame) |
WESTFIELD, MA, UNITED STATES
03.09.2018
Story by Airman 1st Class Randall Burlingame
104th Fighter Wing/Public Affairs
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Members of the Air Force are first introduced to wearing a gas mask when they go through the gas chamber and undertake chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training during basic military training. All Airmen receive gas mask fit tests to ensure issued masks fit properly increasing personal protection to maintain war-time readiness.
But the training doesn’t stop there. Airmen will continue to have their gas masks and respirators fitted to include additional training, especially those in career fields that use respirators regularly in the performance of their jobs such as the Air Craft Structural Repair shop, Fuel cell maintenance shop as well as the Emergency responders on base which include the Fire Department, Explosive Ordnance Disposal members and Emergency Management and Bioenvironmental themselves.
The respirator and gas mask fit tests conducted by the Airmen of the Bioenvironmental Engineering shop at the 104th Fighter Wing allow the Airmen using them to feel confident that they are being protected from CBRN hazards with the gas mask and chemical hazards with the respirators which allow for greater focus on the task at hand.
“It definitely helps,” said Mike Cote, a firefighter of 19 years for the 104th. “The test checks the seal of the mask and lets you know it’s 100%. That gives you confidence, allowing you to do what you have to do knowing the respirator will work.”
According to Master Sgt. Jeffery D. Allard, the Bioenvironmental NCO in charge and the unit's industrial hygienist, the fit tests for personnel on the respiratory protection program which includes the firefighters is OSHA mandated and something all Airmen who require respirator use must have done annually. Gas masks, on the other hand, is a onetime requirement unless special conditions occur which could require a refit.
“Today we had an issue with one of the firefighters who wasn't passing the test,” said Allard. “We ended up discovering a crack in the drinking tube which compromised his mask. If that wasn’t discovered he could have had some potential issues if he had to depend on the mask in a real-world situation.”
Allard said he likes to believe the fit tests are making an impact on protecting the health of Airmen.
“You will not know if your mask is going to work effectively if you don’t get fit tested,” said Allard. “It's very important that people take the wearing of respiratory protection seriously. Their health or even their life may depend on it.”
The industrial hygienist said that Airmen must also get their mask refitted whether it is the issued Mk50 gas mask or a shop issued respirator anytime they gain or lose 10% of their body weight, have serious dental work done that changes their facial features, or if there is a change in the mask being used and hopes supervisors will help to disseminate this important information to their Airmen.
