Robespierre

The companies that manufacture personal masks for emergency evacuation point out that most fatalities in survivable ship, hotel, and aircraft fires are caused by smoke inhalation. The airlines have been examining the possibility of equipping each seat with one.

Do you or anybody you know carry one? Have you considered it?

m_kingdom2

It's being overly neurotic, sometimes one should just accept that their time is up.

If you carry a smokehood, should you not cross a road until there are absolutely no cars in sight?

Christina

I don't know that much about them, but I thought there had to be a relatively clean source of air for you to breathe as an alternative -- just a special mask isn't going to save you. The survivable statistics refer (I think, I'm not sure on this) to bodily injury -- ie, the person would not hve died from bodily trauma. However, if you are trapped in an area with smoke and there is no way to get out or breathe fresh air, I don't think a mask will help.

Now, perhaps I'm wrong about this since they are selling masks -- but if you are trapped in a room with smoke and can't escape, I don't see how everything is going to be great by using a mask if there is no air.

Am I wrong about my assumption? Does simply wearing a mask make breathing safe if you are trapped in a smokefilled room?

Giovanna

I somehow doubt that an airline that expects me to use my seat cushion as a floatation device is going to furnish me with some sort of apparatus to save me from smoke--perhaps two corks, one for each nostril?

lindilindi

A smoke mask would let you stay conscious and clear-headed until you find your way out of the situation, provided that the air is simply filled with smoke (but has enough oxygen).
I wouldn't carry one - there is only a very remote possibility that you'd need one, and you might be fumbling in the smoke trying to find it instead of concentrating on escape. Unless you carry it around your neck or something. Which would make you look like you're planning an arson.

Tallulah

Oh god!! ANOTHER thing to worry about and consider! Were it not for the fact that I really can't be bothered living in a paranoid bubble (not assuming Robespierre that you are - or that you want to buy one of these contraptions, which are merely there to make money for companies who thrive on perpetuating fear...), I might start to find this site somewhat bad for my health!

Robespierre

Christina -

The ones I've seen don't contain an air supply, but they work like a gas mask to filter out carbon monoxide and poisonous combustion products. There's plenty of air to breathe in a fire; death is caused by "smoke inhalation" (read: chemical poisoning).

Seems like a pretty favorable cost/benefit ratio to me. They conform to the rule "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." People who use them to survive can step over the bodies of those whose time has come.

TopMan

If it makes you feel better and IF you know how to use one then I say go ahead. But I'm thinking of the crowded conditions on any aircraft; the absolute chaotic and panicky conditions that probably result, etc.

Assuming you survive the impact of a crash..big assumption in my opinion..AND someone next yo you doesn't try to snatch it off your face...perhaps it increases survival chances...perhaps not.

P_M

Before August 11, 2004, I would have thought this was neurotic too, but on that day I could have used a smoke hood. If you click my name, you will find a thread called Emergency Landing on BA in Houston. It was very hard to breathe as my plane filled up with smoke. The only thing that kept us from having more serious smoke inhalation issues was the fact that the engine fire started at take-off and we were able to return to Houston right away. God forbid, I hate to think how bad this would have been if it happened over the Atlantic and we had a long way to fly before landing. I don't know how to attach a link to a thread, but I will top it in order to make it easier to find.

Robespierre

P_M -

Lucky you! Does that make a believer out of you? Have you checked out the market? I think Evac-U8.com has what I want.

p.s. To post a link, right-click on it, select "Copy Shortcut," then right-click on your post and select "Paste." Like this: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...29&start=0

TopMan: vastly more people die of smoke inhalation than trauma. In hotel fires, it's 100%. If you're worried about the "guy next to you" grabbing your hood, wait until he heads for the exit before donning it.

Travelnut

P_M, just rightclick on the title of the post, copy the shortcut, and post:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34524572

P_M

Thanks for the info, I knew it would be a simple process to attach the link, I just never took the time to figure it out. As for smoke hoods, yes I am a believer but I still do not have one. However, I will have to look into that. You mention that the airlines might equip each seat with one. I think that's a good idea, because if your plane catches fire, they will NOT drop the oxygen masks. Once on the ground, I asked why they didn't do that, and they said that oxygen is flammable so when the plane is on fire, they cannot bring in more oxygen. Therefore, I think smoke hoods would be a great idea.

Ryan

We just had emergency evacuation kits installed at every desk in my firm. It slides out and it portable if we want to bring them on flights. Haven't decided yet because it is a bit bulky, but I have zero problem be labled neurotic if I decide to do so.

I'd rather be labled that then labled with a toe-tag.

My fairly certain that based on statistics, I'd have a remote chance of ever needing a smoke hood on a flight. But, I have an equally remote chance of having a fire in my home. That doesn't stop me from having insurance. As I see it, carrying a smoke hood is simply a form of insurance.

m_kingdom2

Should you bring a parachute as well so that when the plane goes into freefall due to fire you can escape too?

Walter_Walltotti

Seem to remember Spygirl going on how she always carries a smoke mask.

I always thought the majority of deaths were caused by people just not getting out of the building, ship whatever fast enough. Correct, those that get left or trapped in the building it's usually the smoke that kills them.

I would say in the event of such a circumstance my first priority would be to get the hell out of there as quickly as possibly and not to worry about where I had last placed my smoke hood.

The best precaution IMO is to know where your exits are, and have an alternative in mind.

ChatNoir

m_Kingdom2, your comments have gone from mean to negative to silly. What personality will be in charge next week? Don't you have a shoe salesman convention to attend?

Ryan

Kingdom, can I be equally vapid and simplistic in my view of you by suggesting that you have a death wish? Is it that you have so little to live for that something remotely simple that could save one's life is for you, a cause to try and ridicule those that do actually have a reason to go home at night? Honestly, is life as an aging drag queen that unrewarding that you'd neglect even the simplest measures of personal safety.

Carrying a smoke hood is no different then wearing a seatbelt. 99% of the time you won't need it, but the time when an accident occurs it is that simple step that might make the difference.

Robespierre

Yes, W_W

getting out was the first priority of everyone who has died in an aircraft, hotel, or ship fire. Many of them probably even knew exactly where the exits were.

m_kingdom2

A seatbelt often keeps me in place when I am braking hard, a smoke hood is absolutely ridiculous - maybe we should walk around in nuclear protective suits in case of attack?

Live a little, don't live in fear!

P_M

Of course getting out is the first priority, but that's a little difficult when the plane is still airborne. We can never prepare for every thing that can possibly go wrong, but smoke hoods can help in airplane fires. I do not live in fear, but I do think it's a good idea for the airlines to provide these, especially for overseas flights.