How to Remove Tear Gas in 7 Steps



When affected by tear gas, the immediate reaction is how to remove it as quickly as possible. You’ll want to remove it first from the victims eyes and face and second from the area in which it was sprayed. Below are some tips for how to safely and effectively remove tear gas. 

To thoroughly remove tear gas, it can help to know what kind of tear gas you are dealing with.

Kinds of tear gas:

CS, CS1, CS2: The most common form of tear gas.

CN: Also known as mace, CN is more toxic than CS.

CR: Also more toxic than CS.

OC and PAVA: Commonly referred to as pepper spray, PAVA is made of synthetic material and OC is made from actual chili peppers.

Removing Tear Gas from Your Body

Tear gas can inflict pain within seconds, so knowing what to do once you have been a victim of tear gas can ensure you make it to safety.

  1. Hold your breath. Breathing in tear gas causes extreme chest pain, increased mucous production, and vomiting.
  2. Close your eyes. But how will I see? While not every situation allows for this, closing your eyes when you can helps keep the tiny CS particles from entering your eyes and tear ducts.
  3. Get out of there. The faster you remove yourself from the area, the sooner you will gain relief from the pain.
  4. Rinse your eyes. While rinsing your eyes from the inner to the outer corner, avoid allowing the contaminated water to run onto your skin or clothes. If you wear contacts, be sure to remove them prior to rinsing your eyes.
  5. Wash your hands. This will ensure you do not recontaminate your eyes and face and will prevent you from contaminating other people with whom you come into contact.
  6. Change your clothes. If this is not an immediate option, gently pat down your clothes while facing the wind so that the particles do not blow back into your face and eyes.
  7. Take a cold shower. Hot water will open your pores and allow the chemicals to seep further in, resulting in even more irritation.

Removing Tear Gas from the Scene

Tear Gas

Tear gas cleanup is extremely difficult and requires special equipment and trained technicians. Therefore, you should never attempt to remove tear gas on your own from the scene, and you should turn to a professional remediation company for help. It is important to note, however, that hiring an inexperienced cleanup company can create even more problems for you, so be sure to do your research.

Trust an industry leader.

If your home, property, or business has been tear gassed, you want to restore the environment as quickly as possible. But how? Using state-of-the-art technology and strict control procedures, Aftermath carefully washes affected surface areas and performs structural remediation to remove damaged floors, walls, and surface coverings to thoroughly and safely restore the scene. Aftermath is a nationwide industry leader in biohazard, trauma, and tear gas cleaning with a dedication to maintaining the highest industry standards while protecting the safety of our employees and those we serve. Contact us for more information.

 

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Sources

Baltimore Sun: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-01-18/news/1995018074_1_tear-gas-gas-training-harford-county