Embassy of the United States

Emergency Evacuation

Personal Protective Equipment and Disaster Preparedness

An excerpt from the U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheet for the Republic of Korea states:

The U.S. Government does not provide protective equipment to private American citizens in the Republic of Korea.  As always, U.S. citizens should review their own personal security practices and make their own decisions with regard to those precautions that they might take to avoid danger.  Those who may wish to acquire protective equipment for personal use should contact commercial vendors who may be able to provide such equipment.  For further information, please refer to the Department of State's Chemical-Biological Fact Sheet or the autofax by dialing (202) 647-3000 from a fax machine. 
 

There are commercial vendors and manufacturers of a wide variety of personal protective equipment for different environments, and you may have to engage in some independent research to determine which system might suit your needs or be most appropriate for your personal use.  Most protective equipment for the chemical-biological environment protect against aerosols and organic and acidic vapors.  They combine a particulate filter and/or a vapor filter of activated charcoal, and they provide 2-10 hours of protection, depending on the concentration level of chemical agents in the air.

Research on this subject could be performed by an internet search site for these terms: protective masks, gas masks, respirators, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), or personal protective equipment; or in local reference libraries; and/or through professional security/business associations.  The U.S. Embassy cannot endorse specific companies or specific products, nor can we guarantee the effectiveness of protective equipment on the market.