Manual filter-and-ventilation device for everybody

It is generally known that in the event of thermonuclear, chemical or biological war, people in contaminated areas should for some time to use protective masks with appropriate filters and possibly other protective equipments as well. The predominant part of people older 18 years must purchase herself this mask in most countries of the world in advance, namely including the appropriate filters. The issue of protective masks, safety vests and bags for children and a very small part of the adult population is planned only in time of threat to state and under state of war. It allows for distribution of protective masks with filters to all their civilians in some countries only. How many children and adults would managed single-handedly put on a mask properly and quickly at all?

Timely and correct putting on protective mask with appropriate filter does not necessarily have to mean resolution of a problem with contaminated air. Many times can be necessary to use with a mask also some protective suit. Bearability of protective masks and of children´s protective bags and safety vests ranges only in order of hours (for guidance 6–15 hours) and not days. Overall life time of the filter depends on its type, concentration and type of harmful substances, dustiness of surroundings, quantity of carbon monoxide (CO) and dioxide (CO2) in filtered air, physical effort, time spent in the contaminated area, breathing rate, etc. Insofar that the safe use of the filter ranges from several tens of minutes for several hours (it could withstand even a few days under relatively „favorable“ conditions). It follows from above mentioned that the protective mask, vest or bag serve only for relatively short stay in a contaminated ground.

Undamaged and fully equipped fallout shelters are theoretically able to secure hiding of the part of population for 1–4 days in most countries. It depends especially on the number of hidden persons, on concentration and type of harmful substances in air, stocks (located in the shelter) of spare collective filters and pre-filters, fuel storages into genset, amount of soda lime or other chemical acting to capturing CO2, number and size of the full oxygen bombs for maintaining of a certain percentage of oxygen in air, sufficiency of drinking water and of course on the presence of skilled shelter operator. Just for completeness we should add that the shelter capacity is calculated for the sitting persons.

We see that the shelter supply of wholesome air pose the biggest problem. We can suck up air by the help of filter-and-ventilation device with appropriate filters from the outside environment or we can change to the closed inner ring. The outer ring is not suitable particularly in situation when there is large number of smoke outside, high concentration of CO2 and CO, or high concentration of chemical warfare or radioactive agents, for filters could clog very quickly. Carbon dioxide and monoxide would pass through the filters without problems. If we did not have enough spare filters, we would be forced change to the inner ring. The problem of inner ring is associated with rise of quantity of CO2 and of temperature in the shelter. Considerable amount of soda lime, etc. is needed for capturing carbon dioxide. Of course concurrently with capturing CO2, we would have to supply also oxygen (O2) and maintain its minimum concentration on safe level. However, capacity of oxygen bombs would be exhausted very quickly, namely also for very well-equipped shelters. It would also be possible to oxidize air chemically, but we would need tons of chemicals to be able to accomplish this purpose. It follows from this that it is possible to function without interruption at full occupancy of the shelter on the inner ring as 1–2 days. Then we already would not probably have enough chemicals for CO2 absorption, and nor supplies of compressed oxygen in the oxygen bombs. It is also good to realize that the more spare collective filters, soda lime, barrels with fuel for the genset and the oxygen bombs would be in the shelter, the less space it would be for hiding.

Therefore, we can claim that civilians could be in shelters so long, as long as they would have enough potable water and collective filters and genset would work properly. In most cases, however, would people have to leave the shelters (or change to natural ventilation by opening of the entrance doors) at the latest after four days and in the case of necessity to move into uncontaminated areas. This could be very problematic in practice, since speed of such a move would depend on many circumstances (passableness of the roads, the size of the contaminated area, concentration and type of used chemical or biological warfare agents, weather, functionality of army and rescue units, possible radiation level on the ground, age and state of health of moved persons, discipline and knowledge of the civilians, sufficiency of protective masks with appropriate filters and protective suits, etc.).

It is unlikely that there would come to some nuclear, chemical or biological attack fully unexpectedly. To such an attack would with high probability precede rapidly rising tension in the international scene, which would out of doubt be perceptible before possible attack at least several days (it of course depends on the type and quality of used information sources, recency information and on the manner by which we evaluate this information). Since the equipment of most fallout shelters serves to the protection of persons for a few days only, then it is likely that people would be admitted to them only immediately before the imminent attack. Taking into consideration that such an attack can be executed very quickly, it would not be in some cases for hiding more time than just few minutes than the shelters would be closed. We would certainly get into a shelter in a more complicated way at night. We should take into count also the scenario that electric current would not have to work in our area in consequence of an electromagnetic impulse, destroying of power plant, etc. Then we would have to rely solely on warning from sirens or on our judgment.

Do civilians ever have any possibility to secure an effective air filtration, if they would not be in a fallout shelter? The answer is that they have. Except short-term solution in the form of protective masks, bags and vests some individuals can buy large filter-and-ventilation devices that are used in fallout shelters. By disadvantage of these devices is their great weight, dimensions and price. Likewise filters into these devices weigh tens of kilograms. It is necessary to ensure to the operation itself enough fuel into a genset as well. Of course there is also smaller version of filter-and-ventilation device that is not electricity dependent. It are military manual filter-and-ventilation devices which joins on the collective filters. However, operation of these devices requires a lot of physical strength. Weight of such a device with a collective and dust filter does not go under 80–100 kg. If it is possible to use for an operation of this manually operated filter-and-ventilation device several strong and healthy adult individuals, who would take turns at its operation regularly, then it's not such a problem. But such an assumption is for an ordinary family unrealistic. What can afford army or rescue units, it cannot afford ordinary civilians.

Does then exist some easy to handle, light and efficient manual filter-and-ventilation devices for ordinary civilians? We looked for such a device to were able to buy it ourselves for us, but we failed. We searched for device to 20–25 kg, which could be easily transfered, and in order that almost whoever could operate it alone. Since we ourselves need such a device, we decided that we make it. And since we see what the catastrophic possibility of air filtration for ordinary civilians is, we will offer this device to the general public. But we must complete construction of the prototype first, which is constructed according to our very strict requirements, which are:

We have not specified the price so far. We assume tentatively that it should not exceed $1 000, namely inclusive of main and dust filter. Payment can then be made by bank transfer, payment card or through PayPal. Issue of tax document is a matter of course.

Tentative date of the prototype completion is planned for September 2010. With regard to the constantly deteriorating situation, not only in the Middle East, we try to accelerate development and production utmost. During the subsequent production of this device for the public we will do exclusively ourselves final assembly, part of the production and final testing, to have a guarantee that everything works perfectly. We accept advance and not binding orders on this device at this moment. Made items will be sold according to the waiting list.

By part of the delivery of our manual filter-and-ventilation device will be:

At the same time a possibility of free analysis elaboration will be offered to you, from which you will find out what minimal quantity of filters you should have in reserve for various time of filtration (week, month); calculations will be made with respect to the number of hidden persons, the size of rooms intended for their hiding, distance of single possible targets of attack from your shelter, the position of your anticipated place of hiding (on hill, in valley, in forest, etc.) As well season will be taken into account. When examination of the danger following from possible chemical attack, near your location, we will calculate with expected concentrations (and their change in time) of the most dangerous chemical warfare agents in your area. Calculations will be done with such an atmospheric conditions which would represent for you the biggest danger.

We recommend you to complete at least our two specialized courses – Protection against Weapons of Mass Destruction and Protection against Nuclear Weapons I. Thanks to these courses you will gain basic knowledge about the effects of weapons of mass destruction and protection against them. TOPlist