How much oxygen to carry for emergencies?

[DogDiver]

The loophole to get around the 100% oxygen issue is to hand the oxygen delivery system to the victim and they can place it themselves. Ya, ya, what about the unconscious victim. Not a problem for me. Registered Nurse, NAUI Instructor, ACLS and trauma certified. Oh ya, I ran two monoplace chambers in Gainesville.

 

[coldwaterglutton]

Post script after much hand-wringing, I have upgraded to a Jumbo D size cylinder (647 liters) since that will fit in my existing oxygen kit. That gives me about 53 minutes at 12 LPM and 43 minutes at 15 LPM.

 

[DiveClimbRide]

We use between 600l and 2200l depending on location. With a demand valve regulator.

 

[Hoyden]

If you are concerned about diver safety (and I am guessing that you are since you are having this discussion), please plan for the ability to use a non-rebreather mask in addition to any demand valve set-up that you have. I know that it is hard to believe/understand, but injured divers may have difficulty operating the demand valve and if you do not have access to a non-rebrather mask (constant flow system) you will be unable to administer oxygen to them.

Also, I recommend getting a K bottle (or two) so that yuo have enough O2 to get multiple divers to the next level of care.

 

[coldwaterglutton]

If you are concerned about diver safety (and I am guessing that you are since you are having this discussion), please plan for the ability to use a non-rebreather mask in addition to any demand valve set-up that you have. I know that it is hard to believe/understand, but injured divers may have difficulty operating the demand valve and if you do not have access to a non-rebrather mask (constant flow system) you will be unable to administer oxygen to them.

Also, I recommend getting a K bottle (or two) so that yuo have enough O2 to get multiple divers to the next level of care.

Thanks Hayden, I do carry a few odds and ends including a NRM, a BVM, a pocket mask with O2 inlet, and a set of airways. I can't afford any more space as all of the above fits into one case (example pictured below), to carry another setup would be too difficult given my boat. But I can administer O2 separately to two persons using the demand valve and the NRM simultaneously, albeit at the cost of using up my supply pretty fast.

 

[Tracy]

I carry 150cf of oxygen on my boat. I carry two non rebreather masks, two demand valve masks, and a bag valve mask. I set my capacity for two divers on NRB masks at 15L per min from my furthest wrecks back to port. I rarely hit those sites, and if I do, it is a boat full of technical divers carrying plenty more O2 if the crisis required it. My boat can also run at nearly twice my normal cruising speed should the situation demand it. I am in the Great Lakes and I am very rarely more than 35 miles from shore.
YMMV.

 

[tbone1004]

If you are doing any sort of technical diving, I strongly recommend getting a RescuEAN. It's small, basically indestructible, and plugs into a BC hose which means you can get access to any/all of the O2 that divers are carrying in deco bottles. Worst case if you run out, you can at least get them on nitrox which is better than nothing.
Home (Desktop)

 

[kelemvor]

I've got one of those RescuEAN's as well. Solid product that could someday save a life. Obviously the preference would be a proper emergency oxygen kit but why not have scuba bottles as a possible source of emergency oxygen as well? In the areas I dive, someone's always diving some kind of oxygen rich mix and more often than not they're carrying a deco bottle full of 100%.

It's an inexpensive device that creates options.

When I took the DAN classes, one of the themes driven home was that Oxygen improves almost every possible diving related injury. There are some times when Oxygen is detrimental but the chances of encountering it with a diving injury are rare enough that you don't need to memorize them.

Or maybe I got that wrong, in which case I'm sure someone will come along and correct me.

Actually, this just reminded me. I probably need to replace the rubber hoses/mask/etc from that kit as the stuff is all 6 years old now.

 

[tbone1004]

I've got one of those RescuEAN's as well. Solid product that could someday save a life. Obviously the preference would be a proper emergency oxygen kit but why not have scuba bottles as a possible source of emergency oxygen as well? In the areas I dive, someone's always diving some kind of oxygen rich mix and more often than not they're carrying a deco bottle full of 100%.

It's an inexpensive device that creates options.

When I took the DAN classes, one of the themes driven home was that Oxygen improves almost every possible diving related injury. There are some times when Oxygen is detrimental but the chances of encountering it with a diving injury are rare enough that you don't need to memorize them.

Or maybe I got that wrong, in which case I'm sure someone will come along and correct me.

Actually, this just reminded me. I probably need to replace the rubber hoses/mask/etc from that kit as the stuff is all 6 years old now.

Only one reason why a "proper emergency O2 kit" is preferred. The MTV100. The MTV100 is the bomb and WAY better than a bag valve with a non-breathing victim and IMO the only way to give rescue breaths. It is expensive and if you don't have an MTV100, a "proper O2 kit" does not provide any advantages to the RescuEAN if you have scuba O2 on board.

 

[Stoo]

Some is better than none, take what you can.

That's what I was going to say. I dive from a smaller boat (20' RHIB) so space is always an issue. But most of the time, a chamber is within a 30 - 40 minute boat ride. I carry a small DAN kit, plus another E cylinder, plus we always have at least one and likely two 40s of O2, plus an 80 of O2 if we're in a more remote area. The 40s and the 80 just have SCUBA regs, but they're fine for the person who feels that pesky tingle coming on, until it either goes away, or we get to a pot.