Local Fire Department Shares Reminder For People With Home Oxygen Tanks

A Green Country fire department wants people with home oxygen tanks powered by electricity to have a backup plan if they happen to lose power this winter.

The Sand Springs Fire Department said during freezing temperatures, they get many calls about frozen and busted pipes, and people running low on oxygen.

Sand Springs Chief Jeremy Wade-Sims said they received a lot of those calls last year during the Father’s Day storm.

Chief Wade-Sims said his department keeps two cylinders on every fire truck and 10 cylinders in their own supply.

Wade-Sims said you should talk to your doctor about backup plans in case of a power outage, and how much oxygen you should have at home.

He said you can buy a power generator or portable, non-electric oxygen equipment.

He also said it's a good idea to keep your oxygen equipment instructions and a list of serial and model numbers for your medical devices in a emergency kit.

“If you’re a family member that even has somebody that’s on oxygen or think of something like that, then make sure to reach out to your family member. Friend, neighbors are also a good resource to reach out to; people to kind of go over this stuff and prepare before,” Wade-Sims said.

Wade-Sims said oxygen supplies might not deliver in bad weather, so always prepare in advance.