Abstract: A helmet comprises a rigid shell having right and left sides and formed therebetween with a forwardly open face cutout and therebelow with a downwardly open neck opening, a plurality of interconnected and flexible radius straps having right and left ends converging at respective right and left locations on the sides of the shell, and respective right and left anchor elements on the right and left sides generally at the respective locations. This helmet is generally symmetrical about a vertical plane between the sides and bisecting the cutout and opening. A respirator usable with this helmet has a mask engageable through the face cutout snugly with the face of the wearer of the helmet, respective right and left hooks engageable with the anchor elements and fixed to the mask, and a spring connected between the hooks and the mask for pulling the mask back into the helmet.