One of the first instances of chemical warfare in recorded history dates back to April 22, 1915. On this date, German soldiers attacked their French counterparts with chlorine gas at the Second Battle of Ypres (1). As a result, the development of military gas masks began shortly thereafter. But gas masks were already being used to provide breathable air to firemen, underwater divers, and miners, as well as to meet other needs that were unrelated to warfare.
Although military, security, and law enforcement personnel often carry a gas mask as part of their equipment arsenal, there are many civilian uses for them as well. In this article, we’re going to review one of the best gas masks on the market today, the Mira Safety CM-6M.
Mira Safety CM-6M Overview
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If you’re really interested in buying a gas mask, there are A LOT of reasons why you shouldn’t go cheap. But the most important one is that some cheap gas masks won’t work when you need them most. For an item that can eventually be as critical to your health as the simple act of breathing every day, a cheap gas mask isn’t much better than no gas mask at all.
The Mira Safety CM-6M gas mask meets the European standard for respirators (EN 136:1998 CL3) and can be used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, industry, agriculture, police and rescue squads, civil defense, fire departments, welding, construction, painting, and military special forces.
It is a full-face respirator that functions in combination with a suitable gas filter or breathing apparatus. It protects you from airborne particles including viruses, bacteria, and many other toxins. It comes in a universal size and protects the user against carbon, biological, radioactive, and nuclear (CBRN) agents that can appear in the form of gas, vapor, aerosol, or radioactive dust-based toxins.
CM-6M Product Specifications
The facepiece of the CM-6M is made of bromine-butyl rubber and the visor is fully polycarbonate material. The mask boasts a minimum general field of vision of 70% of normal and a minimum binocular field of vision of 80 percent of normal. It also boasts a 95% success rate when it comes to maintaining the intelligibility of the wearer’s speech, which is critical for teams that need to communicate effectively on the fly.
This Mira Safety gas mask features a round filter connection thread that measures 40-millimeters by 0.143 inches. When it comes to breathing resistance at a standard airflow of 30 liters per minute, the CM-6M boasts a maximum inhalation resistance of 30 Pa (Pascal) and maximum exhalation resistance of 60 Pa (2).
CM-6M Key Features
One of the most impressive features of this gas mask is that it boasts a total shelf life of 20 years. Although you’ll have to replace the actual filter cartridges more frequently, this gas mask is designed to last. It fits standard 40-millimeter filter cartridges, which is great because they’re one of the more available cartridge types out there.
The CM-6M’s facepiece meets CBRN protection standards and is made with a full-face panoramic design. Its large visor enables a wide-angle view and minimizes field of vision loss, which is critical in all tactical situations. This gas mask comes compatible with most law enforcement or military helmets and also includes a pre-installed hydration system and canteen. If you don’t want to use the included canteen, it’s also compatible with CamelBak water bladders that feature a Type A or Type M adapter.
Mira Safety didn’t stop there though. They put this gas mask through rigorous testing to make sure it was resistant to mustard gas penetration for nearly 30 hours. And they installed a hypoallergenic inner mask made of silicone, which prevents fogging under hard-use conditions. Again, this is a feature that proves indispensable when you’re in the heat of the moment (literally!) and losing an ounce of visibility can mean the difference between the right decision and a potentially disastrous one.
Finally, perhaps the best metric for the efficacy of this Mira Safety gas mask is its widespread use by government entities around the world. In addition to conforming to European quality and sustainability standards (which is why it’s marked with the formal CE symbol) (3), this gas mask is used by Ministries of the Interior or Defense in the Czech Republic, Turkey, South Africa, Romania, Lithuania, and a host of other nations. It’s also used widely for industrial purposes in Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Poland.
CM-6M Storage Recommendations
If you decide to purchase the Mira Safety CM-6M gas mask, it’s important to know how to store it properly. Improper storage of any gas mask will compromise its efficacy so that it doesn’t function as intended when you finally need it. For starters, all CM-6M masks should be stored in a cool, dark, dust-free environment.
You should be careful to keep your gas mask from being exposed to any sudden temperature changes and make sure your storage room is well ventilated. The ideal temperature for storing this gas mask ranges from 10 degrees to 25 degrees Celsius (50 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) and you should shoot to maintain a relative humidity near 65% wherever the gas mask is stored.
Additionally, your gas mask should not be exposed to any radiant heat or sunshine when in storage and it should be stored separately from any fuels, solvents, lubricants, chemicals, and other inflammable substances on your property. You’ll also want to keep it a reasonable distance away from any electric machines or appliances that produce electric sparks or discharges during their operation (this is known as ozone creation) (4). Finally, you should be mindful to store your gas mask in a way that doesn’t cause any deformations of the rubber parts of the facepiece and internal mask.
Summary
The Mira Safety CM-6M is a top rated gas mask on the market today. We hope you’ve enjoyed this thorough review of the CM-6M and we look forward to hearing about your experience with it. Best of luck staying prepared and staying safe!
