Purchasing an Oxygen kit and where to get O2

[Glock Diver]

I'm interested in purchasing an O2 kit to have on-hand when doing local dives with just a buddy, and not on a charter. Since the majority of dive injuries call for the administering of O2 right away, it seems like the responsible thing to have. I've found some personal sized kits that include masks, reg, tank, etc for about $250-$300, but I'm curious to know where I would get the O2 tank filled. I live in Northern VA, if anyone in this area is aware of a place.

Thanks!

PS- I found these kits on galls.com (a good police/EMS supplier), but are there cheaper places to get an O2 kit?

[almitywife]

we bought our O2 kit thru DAN

cheers

[Thalassamania]

The DAN kits are well designed and put together, I don't like the fact that they can not be used as a positive pressure resuscitator, but that's a policy/liability question. You do a little better cost wise doing it yourself, but not really by enough to be worth the hassle.

[Knavey]

I purchased a DAN kit and am not disappointed. I also took the O2 provider course through my LDS and it was worth the time.

[CAPT HOOK]

Don't know about Va. but when we lived in Mi. you needed a prescription to get oxygen.

[AzAtty]

The DAN kits are well designed and put together, I don't like the fact that they can not be used as a positive pressure resuscitator, but that's a policy/liability question. You do a little better cost wise doing it yourself, but not really by enough to be worth the hassle.

The higher priced DAN kits are shipping with a manually triggered ventilator (MTV100) on them, and DAN seems to be pushing those more nowadays--at least when I bought my kit a month ago, the instructors and sales reps were both recommending the MTV100 units as the direction DAN is moving.

For the OP, I shopped the kits pretty well and considered building my own. The DAN kits are VERY nice. After taking into account the items included in the DAN kit and the packaging (that Pelican case is bombproof), I determined the DAN kit was a better value for me. But I was looking for more than a standard O2 kit, so it made sense to me. At $250 to $300, you're in the ballpark for a good O2 kit with a D-cylinder; maybe even a Jumbo D if you're lucky. The least expensive D-cylinder kit I found was $221.50 at Fieldtex, but that's a real basic kit. Fieldtex has good customer service.

Most medical supply houses will fill O2 cylinders, but you often need a prescription for it. I asked my LDS if they could fill my O2 cylinder, and they told me it would be prohibitively expensive for them to do it. Instead, they referred me to the vender where they fill their O2 cylinders. I went to that vendor and paid $14 to fill each Jumbo-D with 100% O2. The vendor has its own fill station (most don't--they outsource fills, which can cause delays), and will fill cylinders for certified Rescue Divers without a prescription (present your C-card, and you're done). The vendor who has a relationship with your LDS will likely give you the least hassle, since they're used to dealing with a dive shop, if not divers themselves.

[rakkis]

Another alternative would be to get trained for DAN O2. PraxAir (national gas distributor) has an agreement with DAN to allow the sale of medical grade O2 to DAN O2 administrators.

[somewhereinla]

You will need to take the DAN oxygen first aid class first, you will get a card good for 2 years that will allow you to get 100% 02 without a prescription. Any dive shop that mixed Nitrox, tri-mix etc... will be able to supply you with 100% 02.

[nereas]

I'm interested in purchasing an O2 kit to have on-hand when doing local dives with just a buddy, and not on a charter. Since the majority of dive injuries call for the administering of O2 right away, it seems like the responsible thing to have. I've found some personal sized kits that include masks, reg, tank, etc for about $250-$300, but I'm curious to know where I would get the O2 tank filled.

Thanks!

PS- I found these kits on galls.com (a good police/EMS supplier), but are there cheaper places to get an O2 kit?

Youre going to need a DAN O2 Oxygen Provider C-card before a scuba store will fill your DAN O2 kit with oxygen. That is the answer to all 3 of your questions.

Don't waste your money on the "demand valve" because these by and large do not work, and cannot be fixed.

[Thalassamania]

The higher priced DAN kits are shipping with a manually triggered ventilator (MTV100) on them, and DAN seems to be pushing those more nowadays--at least when I bought my kit a month ago, the instructors and sales reps were both recommending the MTV100 units as the direction DAN is moving.

That's good to hear.