"The fire service has entered a new era. The 21st Century has brought the threat and hazard of terrorism, both domestic and international. Even in small town Minnesota the danger of someone committing a terrorist act is ever present, which has created different respiratory hazards for fire fighters. Minimal exposure levels create extremely toxic environments. It has increased the liability issues that fire departments face if they are not compliant with the OSHA Respiratory Standard. All fire departments need to have a plan that includes medical evaluations and face piece fit testing. Without this documentation it would be very difficult for your fire department to ensure that your firefighters are truly protected.