Statewide initiative tackles medical oxygen fire deaths

Over the last year, more than half the deaths caused by fires in residential structures in Wyoming have taken place in homes that use medical oxygen. The Wyoming Community Risk Reduction Initiative, otherwise known as 307 CRR, is looking to combat this problem and “get ahead of the call” in a new initiative for Community Risk Reduction Week.

“At the state fire marshal’s conference, the group from the fire marshal’s office and a number of fire departments…set up a program for community risk reduction,” says Sundance Fire Marshal Chris Tomford, who is spearheading the project in Crook County.

“It was decided at the state level to start a program to put fire breaks in oxygen tubing because of the number of fire deaths in the United States that are attributed to medical oxygen.”

While oxygen alone does not burn, its presence does enhance burning and makes a fire burn hotter and longer. A simple device can solve this problem, known as an oxygen firebreak.

“The goal is to install in-line oxygen fire breaks in 100 percent of all identified homes that use medical oxygen and eliminate Wyoming fatalities and injuries by 2024,” says Tomford.

“This is a fire break that goes into the oxygen tubing. If there is a fire, it shuts off the flow of oxygen. That way, it won’t make the fire grow worse.”

The device is a thermal fuse that extinguishes a fire in the delivery tube of a patient on oxygen therapy if the tube is ignited.

“It’s just a little plastic device and it goes between a joint in the tubing. There’s usually one that goes from the tank to the tubing and another one to the cannula, on the other end of it,” Tomford says.

At the current time, he continues, the VA has mandated it on all the oxygen tanks they prescribe but, when it comes to other providers, “some of them are doing it and some aren’t – I think a lot of people aren’t even aware of it, which I wasn’t until this conference.”

On behalf of the state, Tomford is spearheading the effort for Crook County as a whole and has consulted with Pine Haven, Hulett and Moorcroft to develop partnerships.

“I want to get the other departments on board with this, if we can,” he says. What started as a coalition of 12 fire departments across Wyoming has already doubled in size.

As this week is Community Risk Reduction Week, Tomford says, he wanted to get the word out to the community.

“We will be looking at forming formal partnerships with senior services, the medical services district, the county health nurse and assisted living as far as getting this taken care of in our area,” he says.

“Everybody is on board with this, we just haven’t yet been able to sit down and form a formal partnership.”

Statewide, 307 CRR is looking to create a formal program for the oxygen tubes.

“We are working on some kind of funding model where we might, through the state, be able to purchase them. I think it comes to a total of $7 per set,” Tomford says.

If you would like to express interest in the program or find out more, either contact your oxygen provider or Tomford at 281-6776.