IL: EMT-B personal oxygen tank

[machin3]

Hey everyone, I just registered here to get a little guidance about carrying personal equipment in the car. I was wondering if we can carry oxygen tanks in the trunk or something like that. Im planning to get a jump kit and thought i would also grab a tank like a size D or something.

I work for a private company so in our station we have a tank filling port, so that wouldn't be a problem.

Just wondering if I would be able to carry a tank?

This is for illinois which has a pretty low scope of practice, so I just want to clarify.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Aidey]

The real question is why would you?

 

[ffemt8978]

NO, you would not be able to carry a tank in your personal vehicle unless your department issues it to you.

1) Oxygen is a drug, and under whose authority would you administer that drug?
2) Under whose authority (doctor) are you going to order the medical supplies like NRB and NC?
3) What documentation are you planning on keeping in your vehicle to prove that you have met all federal, state and local requirements pertaining to compressed gas cylinders?

Remember that oxygen administration can cause more harm than good, and it is certainly over-administered in an EMS setting as it is. What benefit do you expect to gain from it?


** Note to all other members - go easy on the flame war or I'll have a busy weekend and yours will be short. **

 

[machin3]

Ok I was just unclear about the regulations. But now I understand. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Pneumothorax]

Lol is this a serious post?!

 

[Tigger]

Hey everyone, I just registered here to get a little guidance about carrying personal equipment in the car. I was wondering if we can carry oxygen tanks in the trunk or something like that. Im planning to get a jump kit and thought i would also grab a tank like a size D or something.

I work for a private company so in our station we have a tank filling port, so that wouldn't be a problem.

Just wondering if I would be able to carry a tank?

This is for illinois which has a pretty low scope of practice, so I just want to clarify.

Thanks everyone!

The scope of practice thing is not really relevant when you are not on duty, especially if you're only working for a private company. Once you leave work, if you want to be Good Samaritan that's fine, but maybe just stick to first aid and not administering any medications...

Also filling your own personal 02 tank off of the company's oxygen (that they bought) would result in your termination where I work, and I imagine this is true in many other places.

 

[machin3]

nice to see people's ego showing here. It was just a question, calm down. <_<

 

[bigbaldguy]

Next grumpy poster gets my full and undivided attention for the next 3 days because I have nothing to do this weekend. Go ahead make my day.

 

[Medic Tim]

nice to see people's ego showing here. It was just a question, calm down. <_<

The search feature would have answered your question. It is asked frequently. This thread is actually going much better than I thought it would. I know it is very exciting starting out in ems but just because you have emt after your name doesnt me you have to turn into a ricky rescue or super Whacker. Not saying you are one but the image I get in my head and I am sure others do as well when they see these posts is . A brand new emt who is ems everything. Multiple pagers radios. Jump bags you name it.

 

[JPINFV]

The scope of practice thing is not really relevant when you are not on duty, especially if you're only working for a private company.

Unless it's a volunteer "respond when you want" job, what difference does it make whether it's private, non-profit, 3rd government agency, or EMS based fire suppression?

 

[Tigger]

Unless it's a volunteer "respond when you want" job, what difference does it make whether it's private, non-profit, 3rd government agency, or EMS based fire suppression?

That's what I meant. No private company wants you responding in your POV to their calls while on the clock for them. Or at least I hope so...

 

[JPINFV]

That's what I meant. No private company wants you responding in your POV to their calls while on the clock for them. Or at least I hope so...

I'd hope no paid EMS based fire suppression service wants their employees jumping calls in their own POV when off duty.

I'd hope that no third service (which is only a "private" service in terms of IAFF propaganda) wants their employees jumping calls in their own POV when off duty.

It's not a "private vs other" issue, unless EMS based fire suppression is suddenly a private entity.

 

[Tigger]

I'd hope no paid EMS based fire suppression service wants their employees jumping calls in their own POV when off duty.

I'd hope that no third service (which is only a "private" service in terms of IAFF propaganda) wants their employees jumping calls in their own POV when off duty.

It's not a "private vs other" issue, unless EMS based fire suppression is suddenly a private entity.

I was hoping that went without saying.

Just responding to the OPs original post where he mentioned that he works for a private company, sorry I failed to cover every potential base with my reply...

 

[bigbaldguy]

Unless it's a volunteer "respond when you want" job, what difference does it make whether it's private, non-profit, 3rd government agency, or EMS based fire suppression?

Holy cow it's a rare sighting of the much beloved JPINFV beastie.

 

[mycrofft]

I don't know about your state, but in Calif it turns out laypersons can use a fixed 6 LPM device without medical oversight. NO flow meter, just on/off and tank level.

Oxygen cylinders in a private vehicle has ramifications for safety, especially in a nice gasketed trunk, and a vehicle which is unmarked for oxygen carrying and not usually expected to be doing so.

Carrying a kit with stuff beyond simple first aid can call into question whether you are a Good Samaritan or a freelancing independent if you should be sued. Doing anything beyond first aid usually requires that you be working under a set of protocols and medical control.

Oxygen is not free, your employer might be a little uncertain about you filling cylinders at their fountainhead.

 

[Chris07]

I don't think I'd want an O2 tank in the trunk of my POV. A good rear-ender accident and you'll have yourself a real rocket...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejEJGNLTo84

 

[JPINFV]

I don't think I'd want an O2 tank in the trunk of my POV. A good rear-ender accident and you'll have yourself a real rocket...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejEJGNLTo84

Let's be honest, though, the amount of force that an M tank can generate and a D tank aren't the same and I don't see many people who would want an O2 tank putting an M tank, or even an E tank in their car. Safety precautions needs to be taken besides just throwing a jump bag with an O2 tank inside a car, but that's hyperbole given the conversation.

 

[Chris07]

Exaggerated? Certainly. Regardless, a 5lb chunk of aluminum under 2,000psi would make me a little nervous in my POV. Either way you're correct that safety needs to be in mind if one decides to accept such a risk.

 

[mycrofft]

I saw the result of a 15lb nitrogen cylinder (illegally) filled with CO2 failure. Broke into three pieces, stem valve assembly (flew eighty feet through security screened window); top half (jagged edge jammed into a hollow core exterior door and tore it off its hinges), and bottom half (3 inch spall inside a cinder block wall). Overpressure stage helped door on its way. Underpressure stage caused nearby pressurize water extinguishers to blow their bottom seams and fly up into the drywall ceiling, causing circular holes, then fell back to the floor; a pickup truck a few feet from the cylinder with doors and windows closed had the rear window pop out of its foam seal and fall unharmed into the bed. No one was there so no injuries.

CO2 has six times the expansive energy as air. The cylinder did not shoot like a rocket.

Anyway, O2 riding around in a private car has some real drawbacks.

 

[MRSA]

You're kind of being a Ricky Rescue. Honestly, I thought the same thing when I first got into the field; I wanted to saddle up with everything but you'll come to find the best thing you can do as an off duty tech is call 911 and keep everyone calm and triage if applicable. If you have ONE person that needs oxygen, you have several and there's no sense in killing yourself in trying to figure out whose going to get the o2 and who isn't.

Also if you get into a car accident yourself and you damage the tank that could kill yourself or someone else.

I highly recommend not having an o2 tank in your personal vehicle. You'll come to find that the best thing you can do is keep people calm and call for help, and even better if you can give that dispatcher information about who needs extraction and how many patients there are.