April 12, 2001

Inspection of the Purchase of Protective Force Respirators

Office of Security and Emergency Operations (SO) officials determined that SO’s program to counter the threat to Department of Energy (DOE) security forces from chemical and biological attacks should include the use of “standardized” equipment. Therefore, SO officials initiated an evaluation of chemical protective gear for the purpose of selecting and procuring a “standard” respirator for use by protective force personnel at all sites. The centralized procurement of a “standard” respirator was intended to: (1) provide a respirator that has proper form, fit, and function that is compatible with weapons and gear, including night vision goggles, used to interdict terrorists; (2) create economies of scale purchasing; (3) allow standardized training at the National Nuclear Security Institute (NNSI), and (4) allow ease of movement of protective force personnel from one site to another in the event of exigent circumstances.