Respirators in the subway, ‘just in case’. Â Do you feel safer, or less safe having seen them? Â I suspect many people will feel safer because someone is thinking of these things, and looking out for ‘safety’. Â However, a respirator needs to fit properly to work – and it needs to be put on before you are exposed. Â These were on the concourse of the station, a flight of stairs below the platform. Â I found this unsettling, and it made me wonder:
- Are these meant for people on the platform and subway? Â If so, how would they get upstairs to them without breathing?
- How would these fit children, very large people, and folks with beards?
- Do people know how to put them on and test them? Would they do it properly in an emergency?
- Are there enough for all the people in the station, or would scarcity be a trigger for violence?
- What types of gases do these protect against?
- Are these actually meant for rescue or response workers, and if so, why don’t they have their own fitted gear?
Overall I think this is not an effective control, but I’d be happy to hear the whole story form someone who can read the sign or knows the deal.