bp_968
Registered
Is it possible to rent O2 bottles while on vacation? This would seem like a darn good idea if your trip involved a lot of shore diving (bonaire, etc).
Ben
Ben
Oxygen, is it really all that important?
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cornfed
Mindless lemming
You're going to have a hard time finding a place that will. Oxygen is considered a drug which makes people leary about handing it out. Also, since it's used for decompression they might assume you're planning decompression dives without training/c-card.bp_968:
JustJoe
Contributor
I chose somewhat important. The reason being is that most of my dives happen relatively close to medical facilities, less than an hour from divesite to hospital (figuring boat back to dock, ambulance ride to hospital, probably closer to 30 minutes). With that said it is still important for the boat to have O2.
In the Gulf where the sites are 30 - 50 miles out then O2 onboard becomes much more important.
Joe
In the Gulf where the sites are 30 - 50 miles out then O2 onboard becomes much more important.
Joe
JustJoe
Contributor
After reading the entire thread I may have to reconsider my "somewhat" choice. Immediate administration of O2 is that important in the suspected case of DCS?! I guess so.
Joe
Joe
bp_968
Registered
cornfed:
I just love father government. The coast guard doesn't need it (or even need to step on the gas when your in need of it) so you should carry it to be safe. Oops! Forgot to tell you, you *CAN'T* carry it. You might do something bad or something you shouldn't do with it. Can't run the risk you might use something incorrectly. Better to ban it so the 0.5% of stupid people don't hurt themselves.
It makes me think of that guy in france that saw the base jumpers at a popular BASE spot out there. He decided it looked like fun, bought a real deal BASE rig, went to the top and jumped. You have to wonder what was going through his head. I mean go ahead and learn how to fish, ride a bike, play baseball, etc, by trial and error. But BASE, technical diving, OW diving, climbing, skydiving... These are all poor choices to learn by trial and error. But hey, if your self preservation instincts are that bad then go ahead. Rather then society freaking out about how unsafe this or that is the correct response would be "boy was that stupid."
<climbing off soapbox>
Ben
Famous last words "Hey y'all! watch this!!"
cornfed:
Where this gets really silly is the difference in the rules between "medical grade" and "aviation grade" oxygen (in the US at least). Both are 100% oxygen intended for breathing purposes. Aside from the name and intended use, the difference between them is that aviation grade oxygen is required to have a lower moisture content than medical grade to prevent condensation from forming if it is used at high altitude. Other than that, they are the same thing.
Now, this is where it gets goofy. Medical O2 is considered a drug and is regulated by the FDA and DOT. Many places will even demand a prescription before providing a fill. Aviation grade is not considered a drug, is regulated by the FAA/DOT does not require a prescription, and fills are often cheaper than medical grade just because it isn't labeled for medical use.
Only in a bureaucracy does that make any sense.
DaFireMedic
Contributor
bp_968:
You are partially correct. The government does regulate these things, and can be silly about it at times. But they do so in response to two things:
1. Does it help me get elected
2. Does it cost us money
Cant do a whole lot about #1, cuz politicians won't change. #2 is a direct result of the legal system being run by the trial lawyers union. A few years back, the National Park service was sued by a rock climber that got himself killed. The government was sued because they had the nerve to allow him to climb on public land. Apparantly responsibility for your own actions and accepting the risk for your own activities doesn't matter. Now access to that land by climbers is in jeopardy. The list of these types of stories is endless.
Its not the government telling you that you can't carry O2 without a prescription, its the lawyers.
RIOceanographer:
But it sure makes it easy to get that O2 bottle filled!
offroaddiver
Guest
There are several things I do when I get onto a charter. One of these things is checking for an Oxygen source. Some dive boats don't use a mask but use a regulator instead. I asked why and the general response is that if they suspect a diver of having a chance for DCI or DCS (computer froze,ran out of air at a considerable deep depth, etc.) they have the oxygen to hand down to the dive while he remains more relaxed and more comfortable (cool water as opposed to hot unshaded deck) and it helps prevent any more stress to the diver. They then pull him aboard while he is breathing pure oxygen. If they are close to the marina(less than 20 minutes) they call the marina (sat phone) and have an ambulance ready to take the diver. Often they have multiple plans. This to me makes me feel comfortable.
I ask in advance before booking if oxygen is available. If I arive to the charter boat and there is no oxygen aboard, I leave and demand full refund. This has happened and instead of them coughing up money they put a tank and mask (bought it from a dive shop a block away) on board....people were pissed off at me until someone started showing symptoms of DCS after the first dive. Luckily the diver was just exhausted from lack of exercise and nothing more. I didn't hear crap from anyone after that. The boat captain looked at me when we got back to the docks, walked up and said thanks for saving my ***. He then helped me carry all my gear and helped me load it into my car and waved as I left. The dive shop who I organized the dive charter with informed me when I renturned the gear (less than an hour's drive), that the charter asked to inform me that I was welcome back aboard anytime and that they will have spares of oxygen tanks on their boat.
no oxygen and your dead.
I ask in advance before booking if oxygen is available. If I arive to the charter boat and there is no oxygen aboard, I leave and demand full refund. This has happened and instead of them coughing up money they put a tank and mask (bought it from a dive shop a block away) on board....people were pissed off at me until someone started showing symptoms of DCS after the first dive. Luckily the diver was just exhausted from lack of exercise and nothing more. I didn't hear crap from anyone after that. The boat captain looked at me when we got back to the docks, walked up and said thanks for saving my ***. He then helped me carry all my gear and helped me load it into my car and waved as I left. The dive shop who I organized the dive charter with informed me when I renturned the gear (less than an hour's drive), that the charter asked to inform me that I was welcome back aboard anytime and that they will have spares of oxygen tanks on their boat.
no oxygen and your dead.
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