RZ Mask: Meeting or Creating a Need?

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by David Miniscalco
Lake Forest (IL) Police Department

After hearing about the reusable masks manufactured by IPMBA Corporate Member RZ Mask, and reading their claim of being effective for police work, I decided I would give them a trial run for a few months. My goal was to determine if there was a need for this type of mask for my daily police activities.

The representatives at RZ Mask were kind enough to send a variety of masks to evaluate during this testing period. I selected the “Hi-Flow Electrostatic + Activated Carbon” filter set in the “M1” neoprene face mask.

My first impression upon opening the face mask and filter was that they were made with high-quality materials. The face mask felt thick enough to be durable but thin enough to be folded and stowed in a pocket. The stitching was good, and the hook-and-loop pieces used to close the mask was symmetrical and seemingly durable. The dual “V1” valve system along the cheeks appeared to be sturdy and well- set within the material.

The filter itself appeared to be multi-layered and really gave an initial impression that it meant business.

The whole system folded nicely into my jacket pocket.

From February to May, I utilized the mask on a number of occasions, the majority being during car searches. The first thing I can tell you is that this mask works. The filters do a tremendous job removing particles from the air. In fact, it does such a good job that I had to take the mask off during a number of the searches.

The mask and filter completely removed the odor of the substance that I was attempting to locate. I often have to play “Warmer/Colder” with an illicit substance on a search. As the smell intensifies, I know I am getting closer. As it fades, I realize I may have passed it up. If the odor dissipates or persists despite the windows or doors being open, that is also an indication that particular substances are present or not.

After wearing the mask on a search, I told a co-worker that it made my nose feel “blind”. I couldn’t detect any characteristics of the substance I was seeking.

On one particularly frozen evening, I wore the mask for warmth as I directed traffic on an accident scene. It worked well and had the added benefit of completely removing the odor of sulfur from the flare smoke.

One thing I noticed, and this pertains to any item worn over the face, not just the RZ Mask, was an occasional muffled radio transmission. While not as bad as a full face gas mask, it is still something to consider when wearing it on scene.

Overall, I would conclude this product does exactly as it claims. It is a comfortable, reusable face mask that will filter airborne particles. Now, whether there is a place for this item in my daily police work has yet to be determined. The sense of smell is very important in many incidents, not only for arrests, but also for possible hazardous material situations. Having this sense muted or outright blocked could hinder an investigation.

However, with so many substances having a delivery method of inhalation, it would seem having a readily available mask on patrol would be critical. That said, in many of those situations, a full-face mask that covers the eyes or perhaps even higher level personal haz-mat protective equipment would be required. The products from RZ Mask may be attempting to fill a niche in police work that does not exist, which is not to say they do not have utility for other applications.

One incident that I did not encounter during my testing was a DOA with advanced decomposition. I believe this to be one of the few situations where a readily deployable filter and mask would shine, but have been unable to confirm this.

RZ Mask is an IPMBA Corporate Member and participates in the IPMBA Product Purchase Program, offering 30% off retail to IPMBA Members. Visit http://www.rzmask.com or email jimh@rzmask.com for details.

Dave has been a patrol officer for a small suburb in the greater Chicagoland area for the last five years. He has been part of a multi-jurisdictional emergency services team for three years and prior to his current department, he worked in corrections. His favorite color is green. He can be reached at MiniscaD@cityoflakeforest.com.

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