Product Reviews, COMBAT & SURVIVAL magazine.

These reviews are copyright of Combat & Survival magazine and are reproduced with the kind permission of the editor. These reviews were published in the well respected British military publication "Combat & Survival", available at all good Newsagents across the U.K..

June 2003 issue

CODRUS RESPIRATOR

High Level Bio-Chem Protection

The outbreak of SARS virus in Asia and it's rapid spread around the world, coupled with the perception that all is now well in the sphere of international terrorism since Saddam was deposed, has diminished media interest in the threat of biological or chemical attack in Europe and the United States. However, only a fool would believe that al Qa'eda and the other organisations and groups dedicated to spreading global terror have shreaded their plans and become respectible members of society for ever more. Today, the threat of a chemical or biological attack in the forseeable future is probably more likely than before Op. Iraqi Freedom, as there are a hell of a lot more disaffected fundamentalists looking for revenge.

Military readers of this magazine will probably not be too worried about their personal safety, as sufficient NBC protection suits and respirators are readily to hand for most, but their wives or sweethearts will probibly remain unprotected. Likewise, employees working in the public sector, who are almost certainly at more risk than the average man in the street, are in the main unprotected from Anthrax, Ricin or any of the other chemical and biological agents that the fundamentalist (not necessarily religious) may choose to employ in his or her campaign against those seen as the enemy. Fortunately, it is now possible for civilians to buy the same level of protection as the soldier - not from surplus stocks, but direct from the manufacturer. We have been looking at the CODRUS Respirator, which is essentially the Emergency Services' version of the American M95 Military mask, manufactured under licence in the UK. This mask is even sold to British Nuclear Fuels at Sellafield, so it's credentials are easily verified. Next month we will bring you a more in-depth appraisal, but in the meantime check out www.ukgasmask.co.uk for more information and prices. This website, run by the manufacturer, is a mine of useful information on threats and protection, as well as giving on-line ordering details. At £178 including VAT, this respirator is by no means cheap, but if you are in a potential threat zone, what price do you put on your life ? Though seemingly expensive, this factory fresh mask and filter costs less than what some dealers were charging for dubious quality secondhand military respirators during the last perceived crisis, and it comes with a filter guaranteed to exceed relevant British & European standards.

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