Is it worth the trouble and expense to carry emergency oxygen?

[2airishuman]

Recently the local sources I have for medical oxygen fills have discontinued offering the service, citing concerns about compliance with state laws and regulations. The SCUBA shops that have oxygen will no longer put it in cylinders with medical valves. Since I do not have (and have no intention of pursuing) accelerated deco training, they will not put it in scuba cylinders for me, either.

Medical oxygen service companies are flatly uninterested in standby emergency service even if a doctor's prescription is available. Industrial gas places will sell oxygen in industrial bottles with industrial valves, but will not sell it in medical bottles or bottles with medical valves, even to someone with a prescription, citing compliance concerns -- they will sell only to distributors, or to licensed medical practitioners (doctors, vets, dentists, etc).

I can keep working it. I can transfill if I have to and have done this in the past. I can find an out-of-state shop in a jurisdiction where there is less regulatory pressure. I can switch my regs and cylinders from medical valves to CGA 540 valves and purchase oxygen under the aegis of aviation use. I can go around to all the doctors and first responders I know and twist arms. I can start a ******* letter writing campaign to the state government and try to get them to back off and create a safe harbor for emergency O2.

I'm not an instructor. I dive with friends and family. But I dive from my boat (and friends' boats) in some remote areas where a response to a 911 medical call can take almost an hour and where evacuation to an emergency hyperbaric facility could take up to 12 hours. I have been carrying at least some oxygen on these sorts of trips out of a sense of prudence. But as the costs and hassle continue to mount I'm wondering whether it's worth it.

Your thoughts?

 

[2airishuman]

I have started a separate thread on the local availability problem and would ask that any advice on how I can most easily obtain oxygen be directed there, to better focus this discussion on whether the game is worth the candle.

 

[Stoo]

I have a DAN O2 kit in my boat, and have had for about 20 years. I've never use it. (Knocking on my head as I type this).

On the other hand, I generally have several bottles of O2 for deco as well as a spare bottle for the O2 kit. The SCUBA cylinders have been used a few times "just in case".

* The guy who had a sore shoulder after a 175' dive... maybe a hit, maybe he pulled it hauling back into my RHIB. Either way, he sucked 100% for a couple of hours. It didn't get better or worse and by morning he was fine. He took the next day off, just in case.

* The woman who developed a rash following many dives. O2 cleared it up. Eventually she was diagnosed with two PFOs, had 'em fixed and all is good now.

* That time I just felt rough after a 220' mix dive. I drained the remains of my 80 of 100% and an hour later felt right as rain.

So is it necessary? Perhaps not, but if you are spending any amount of time diving, and especially if you live someplace where O2 isn't readily available, I would absolutely have some. As we all know, getting a diver with DCS on O2 quickly is critical for their recovery.

If you don't have O2, what's your plan for immediate aid for an injured or possibly injured diver? Tell them to walk it off?

Weird you're having trouble getting it there. Literally every dive shop I know up here has O2. Some will even fill O2 kits for free if you had to use it. Must be a lawyer thing.

 

[2airishuman]

Weird you're having trouble getting it there. Literally every dive shop I know up here has O2. Some will even fill O2 kits for free if you had to use it. Must be a lawyer thing.

I understand that there has been a recent crackdown by the state on transfilling for medical use. The main target was hospitals and clinics who were filling portable cylinders from liquid bulk systems without the required licensing, tracking, and controls.

If you don't have O2, what's your plan for immediate aid for an injured or possibly injured diver? Tell them to walk it off?

Call 911 and meet the ambulance.

 

[tursiops]

You only need it once for real to have it be worth the effort.

Do you have an O2 Provider card (DAN or others)? Sometimes that will open the doors for you.

 

[2airishuman]

You only need it once for real to have it be worth the effort.

Do you have an O2 Provider card (DAN or others)? Sometimes that will open the doors for you.

I'm trying to direct that conversation to the other thread.

 

[Esprise Me]

Stupid question: does oxygen not keep? Just trying to get my head around never needing it but having to jump through hoops to keep getting it.

 

[DogDiver]

Well, you don’t need it until you do.

 

[markmud]

Recently the local sources I have for medical oxygen fills have discontinued offering the service, citing concerns about compliance with state laws and regulations. The SCUBA shops that have oxygen will no longer put it in cylinders with medical valves. Since I do not have (and have no intention of pursuing) accelerated deco training, they will not put it in scuba cylinders for me, either.

Medical oxygen service companies are flatly uninterested in standby emergency service even if a doctor's prescription is available. Industrial gas places will sell oxygen in industrial bottles with industrial valves, but will not sell it in medical bottles or bottles with medical valves, even to someone with a prescription, citing compliance concerns -- they will sell only to distributors, or to licensed medical practitioners (doctors, vets, dentists, etc).

I can keep working it. I can transfill if I have to and have done this in the past. I can find an out-of-state shop in a jurisdiction where there is less regulatory pressure. I can switch my regs and cylinders from medical valves to CGA 540 valves and purchase oxygen under the aegis of aviation use. I can go around to all the doctors and first responders I know and twist arms. I can start a ******* letter writing campaign to the state government and try to get them to back off and create a safe harbor for emergency O2.

I'm not an instructor. I dive with friends and family. But I dive from my boat (and friends' boats) in some remote areas where a response to a 911 medical call can take almost an hour and where evacuation to an emergency hyperbaric facility could take up to 12 hours. I have been carrying at least some oxygen on these sorts of trips out of a sense of prudence. But as the costs and hassle continue to mount I'm wondering whether it's worth it.

Your thoughts?

Hi 2airishuman,

I completed the training for a DAN O2 card. At the time, it allowed me to purchase O2 equipment and fill cylinders.

Has that changed? Or, are you talking about Minnesota state law?

The DAN O2 card was relatively painless to get. Is that an option for you?

cheers,
markm

 

[TMHeimer]

I agree with the "yes". Particularly due the dive situations you regularly do. Just curious-- what depths do you dive with your relatives, freinds? I've never owned a $700 O2 bottle, but dive very shallow and almost always solo, so for me it makes little sense.