Oxygen tanks in vehicle first aid kit

**rat31465** · 06-03-2009, 08:59 PM

I have personally witnessed an experiment where 99.9% pure Oxygen was blown directly upon a small amount of grease at a rate of 2 lpm. Within a few minutes there was signs of smoke and spontaneous combustion follwed within 5 minutes. I have had oxygen patients who complained of having bad nose bleeds continiously after being set up on home oxygen...further investigation found them using Vicks Vapor Rub and mentholateum inside their nose trying to open the sinuses. The symptoms cleared up within days once they switched to a water based formula. Oxygen and petroleum based products do not mix and can spontaneously combust....

Read the information at this link please.

http://www.oxygengasplant.net/safety.htm

Another link to MSDS Sheet...check out page 7....
http://www.madamedical.com/pdf/MSDS_Oxygen.pdf

**Rick** · 06-03-2009, 09:03 PM

Interesting the things you can learn. According to a site I was just reading, USP o2 is considered a regulated drug. Aviators breathing oxygen (also referred to as ABO, apparently) is not regulated. ABO is supposed to be purer and contain less moisture.

**oldsoldier** · 06-03-2009, 09:09 PM

Rick check out the web site www.allthingsfirstaid.com they carry all the stuff you need to set up an O2 kit including the tank. I get my tank refilled every 6 months if I don't use it sooner. My local medical supply Co. does it I've never needed an Rx to do it. YET!!

**rat31465** · 06-03-2009, 09:17 PM

It depends alot on what insurance the patient has...for instance an overnight Pulse Oximetry is given to determine if the patient is falling below a certain level during the nights sleep. If the O2 level drops below 89% even for five seconds Medicare, Medicaid and most Private Insurances will pay for O2. If they fall below 95% for a minimum of 30 minutes total for a 8 hour sleep cycle then they qualify under most plans as well.

Then we do what is called a walking pulse ox or Sats with Ambulation...Pulse Ox probe goes on the finger and we walk them around the house for a couple of minutes to see if they drop with the strain of everyday activity...This is how we would qualify someone for portable O2. And yes you are correct...Medical Grade Oxygen aka USP grade..requires a prescription from a Doctor as it is considered a controlled substance.

Too much O2 will knock out your Hypoxic drive (aka you ability to breath on your own) just like someone who has been on a Ventilator for to long.
The build up of Co2 in the lungs is what triggers the body to take a breath and too much O2 blows this Co2 off and causes the bodies breathing response to deteriate.

Originally Posted by Rick

That's what I thought. It's been a few years but it seems like dad's O2 hovered just above the magic number for several weeks. If it was 96 then he as like 96.5 or something like that. He had to hit that particular number before the doctor would order the O2 and we couldn't just pick it up. Again, it's been a while but I think the doctor wrote out an RX for it.

Thanks for checking on it.

**rat31465** · 06-03-2009, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

Rick - not sure if you need an Rx to buy bottled O2 or not. I read a while back where "canned" oxygen was becoming all the rage in some areas. If I remember correctly it looked like spray paint or hair spray cans with compressed O2. (don't get them mixed up)

You can buy this over the counter because the actual O2 % is so low that it isn't regulated as a Medical Gas...And if memory serves me correctly O2 can be purchased without a Prescription for Emergency responders who have taken the proper First Aid courses for administering it properly.

I used to transfill both Liquid O2 and gas as well for Local Firemen in one of the smaller towns I worked in.

**rat31465** · 06-03-2009, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Interesting the things you can learn. According to a site I was just reading, USP o2 is considered a regulated drug. Aviators breathing oxygen (also referred to as ABO, apparently) is not regulated. ABO is supposed to be purer and contain less moisture.

ABO Oxygen is not regulated because it is not produced and stored for consumption at a later time. An O2 Generator or Concetrator seperates the Oxygen from the other gases in normal atmosphere air. And directs it to a mask or Nasal Cannula for the pilot.
Purity is 93% Minimum at 5lpm on most all O2 Concentrators.

Thus ends my rants....I just saw some wrong information that I could help with and didn't want to see anyone getting hurt. I had a Oxygen patient who died while smoking in bed wearing his Oxygen while under the care of Home Health Nurse from a Major Hospital in this area.

**Rick** · 06-04-2009, 09:23 AM

I don't consider them rants. I actually considered them well thought out posts and great information. You did pretty good for a one-eyed, bone head (avatar).

**rat31465** · 06-04-2009, 11:11 AM

Well I can't argue that this is an appropriate description of me as expressed by my wife on many occasions over the last 25 years...

**Rick** · 06-04-2009, 04:44 PM

I wish mine were that polite.

**Arkansas_Ranger** · 06-25-2009, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by BK-72

At work we are looking to add a oxygen tank to our responder bag in our security vehicle. Traditionally we have not had one stored inside the vehicle, pulling it instead from the nearest building as needed.

Obviously we want to increase our response time in providing first aid, but are wary of any danger's of storing a 02 tank inside a vehicle.

The vehicle is not garaged, so will be subject to temperature extreme's. This is our primary concern. Any thoughts on this please?

(Any other thoughts on the subject are welcome)

I've carried one in the back of my ranger SUV and never had a problem. The jump bag that it's in is heavy (too heavy really) so it doesnt slide around. I keep the valve on the cylinder too, and that's never been problematic. On that same token, I've never had problems with the AED batteries due to temperature extremes either.

**BK-72** · 06-25-2009, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Arkansas_Ranger

I've carried one in the back of my ranger SUV and never had a problem. The jump bag that it's in is heavy (too heavy really) so it doesnt slide around. I keep the valve on the cylinder too, and that's never been problematic. On that same token, I've never had problems with the AED batteries due to temperature extremes either.

Awesome.

Thanks all - been a lot of good information here and appreciate everyone's replies.