RZ Mask: Portable and Functional

By ADMIN 0 Comments

by Andy Shiu
Lake Forest (IL) Police Department

Police officers need tools that are both portable and functional. There’s not much room left nowadays on duty belts, in cargo pockets or on exterior body armor carriers with all of the gear we have to carry at work. There is certainly nowhere to carry a full gas mask. That’s where the RZ Mask comes into play.

I’ve had the opportunity to utilize the RZ Mask over the past six months in several situations: at a residence where a search warrant was executed, at a death investigation scene, and during BRT Training.

The RZ mask fits perfectly into the dwindling room we have left on our bodies or in a “go bag”. I carry mine in the zippered pouch (that comes with the mask) slipped behind my handcuff pouch, which is MOLLE-mounted on my outside body armor carrier. The filter and valve system while carried in the pouch is about an inch thick and isn’t bulky. The mask is very comfortable and the hook / loop strap to close the mask is sturdy.

The key to the RZ Mask for me was its portability. After all, you can’t use it if you don’t have it, right? The first time I deployed it was at a house where a search warrant for narcotics was executed. After the scene was secure, I wore the mask to avoid inhaling substances that could be made airborne while moving through and/or searching the house.

The mask is very effective – there was a room in which cannabis had been smoked before we arrived, and it was very strong. I left the room, put on the mask, and went back inside – I could not smell it at all through the mask! I also wore the mask at a death investigation scene, which smelled plenty awful because there was feces all over the floor and the body had been there for several days. The odor was strong, almost unmanageable, even after I opened several windows to air out the condominium unit. I went outside, donned the RZ Mask, and went back inside. I was very relieved to not have to work the scene and contend with the odors at the same time. It made the next few hours I spent processing the scene much more manageable.

While wearing a full gas mask is preferred during riot control, BRT deployment or hazardous material situation, the RZ Mask is very functional for a police officer to use during day-to-day operations on patrol. It is compact and can be packed away in an evidence technician’s toolkit, slipped into a cargo pocket, or mounted on an outside body armor carrier during a detective assignment. I would highly recommend this product for police use.

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.

Andy Shiu is an 18 year veteran of the Lake Forest (IL) police Department (IL) and is currently assigned as a detective. He is an IPMBA-certified police cyclist and Bicycle Response Team rider. He specializes in field training, defensive tactics and firearms instruction. He can be reached at shiua@cityoflakeforest.com.

Photos courtesy Andy Shiu.

IPMBA News