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U.S. Response: Gas Masks Begin to Arrive at U.S. Capitol The first of a shipment of 20,000 gas masks arrived at the U.S. Capitol yesterday (see GSN, June 26). The masks are meant to allow members of Congress, staff and tourists to evacuate the Capitol complex in case of a chemical or biological weapons attack. Hour-long training sessions are to begin next week to instruct congressional employees on how to use the new masks, Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said. The masks can block anthrax spores or toxic fumes for two minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature in the room and the rate a person is breathing, Gainer said. The masks are ineffective, however, against radiological agents, he said. The masks will be stored in each congressional office and at each entrance to the Capitol and congressional office buildings, according to the Associated Press. Capitol police officers will be trained to quickly give instructions on how to put on the masks, which will only be distributed in the event of an alert (Leslie Miller, Associated Press/Philadelphia Inquirer, June 27).
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