Saturday, March 22, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Stores in Nevada run low on survival gear

MREs, gas masks in short supply as people try to prepare for terrorism

Kenneth Crocker's hunt for shrink-wrapped ham slices and beef stew began Thursday morning at a military surplus store.

A retail clerk at Treasure Island, Crocker has been looking for military prepackaged food, known as MREs, for the past week, ever since war in Iraq seemed like a certainty.

But a nationwide shortage in survival gear, including MREs and gas masks, has forced some of the state's military surplus stores to turn away customers such as Crocker.

"Since Sept. 11, people understand terrorism," said Howard Abrams, manager of Army Navy Surplus in Las Vegas.

"We could be hit again, and they're preparing."

The store has sold out of MREs, which are designed for long-term storage, and has sold an average of 15 gas masks a day for the past week. A year ago, Army Navy Surplus sold perhaps one a day, store owner Jim Isbell said, and before Sept. 11, 2001, it kept only 10 masks in stock.

Reno residents Jim and Mary Barnett searched their city Thursday for survival kit items.

"The war is scary," Mary Barnett said.

"It makes you realize we should get with it. We need to be ready for anything that happens."

Among other items, the Barnetts bought emergency blankets, waterproof matches, a first aid kit and a couple of duffel bags.

Fox Outdoor Products of Evanston, Ill., one of the nation's largest wholesale suppliers of military goods, sold its last shipment of 1,000 gas masks and 6,000 filters in one day last month.

"We're completely wiped out," sales manager Sheldon Wechter said.

"If I had 5,000 (masks), I could sell them in one day."

Because the majority of gas masks are manufactured in Israel and other foreign countries where there also are shortages, Wechter said he doesn't anticipate receiving more shipments soon.

Business has been booming at Hahn's Military Surplus in Las Vegas, where owner Larry Hahn said he has sold an average of 10 to 15 gas masks a day for the past week.

Water purification tablets, sleeping bags and blankets also have been big sellers in recent weeks.

"The concern over terrorism is definitely fueling it," said Scott Riedel, manager of Twin City Surplus in Reno.

"Everybody is a little scared, and this is something you can do to prepare for it.

Riedel said his store has sold out of gas masks and MREs.

"Right now, it's next to impossible to get a gas mask. You can spend all day on the phone searching for one and get nothing because demand is so high," he said.

Associated Press writer Martin Griffith contributed to this report.