Abstract
Mass casualty events and disasters, both natural and human-generated, occur frequently around the world and can generate scores of injured or ill victims in need of resources. Of the available medical supplies, oxygen remains the critical consumable resource in disaster management. Strategic management of oxygen supplies in disaster scenarios remains a priority. Hospitals have large supplies of liquid oxygen and a supply of compressed gas oxygen cylinders that allow several days of reserve, but a large influx of patients from a disaster can strain these resources. Most backup liquid oxygen supplies are attached to the main liquid system and supply line. In the event of damage to the main system, the reserve supply is rendered useless. The Strategic National Stockpile supplies medications, medical supplies, and equipment to disaster areas, but it does not supply oxygen. Contracted vendors can deliver oxygen to alternate care facilities in disaster areas, in the form of concentrators, compressed gas cylinders, and liquid oxygen. Planning for oxygen needs following a disaster still presents a substantial challenge, but alternate care facilities have proven to be valuable in relieving pressure from the mass influx of patients into hospitals, especially for those on home oxygen who require only an electrical source to power their oxygen concentrator.
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Thomas C Blakeman MSc RRT, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati OH 45267-0558. E-mail: Thomas.Blakeman{at}uc.edu.
Mr Blakeman presented a version of this paper at the 50th Respiratory Care Journal Conference, “Oxygen,” held April 13–14, 2012, in San Francisco, California.
Mr Blakeman has disclosed no conflicts of interest. Mr Branson has disclosed relationships with Ikaria, General Electric, Covidien, Hamilton Medical, and Breathe Technologies
↵* Joseph S Lewarski RRT FAARC, Invacare, Elyria, Ohio.
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