Superstorm Sandy Increases Awareness of Secondary Oxygen Supplies

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Oxygen concentrators are important to the livelihoods of many people, especially patients who suffer from COPD, asthma and other respiratory diseases. As if October 2012’s Superstorm Sandy didn’t bring enough problems, the catastrophic natural disaster also caused trouble to patients who rely on oxygen therapy. This was evident in states such as New York, where power outages were rampant for several days. One tragic example was reported just one day after the storm struck New York City, when a Manhattan woman was found dead after she ran out of oxygen with her electric concentrator.

As residents in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states struggle to put their lives back together, oxygen therapy patients were still in need just one week after Sandy took its toll. Both local first responder and the American Red Cross reported that several area residents were running out of oxygen and needed to be hospitalized.

When your doctor orders oxygen therapy for your particular health condition, you are most likely to look at electric oxygen concentrators. These systems are a first choice because they are affordable and easy to use. Plus, they come with more supplies so you don’t run out of oxygen.

While traditional oxygen tanks are the way to go, there is a downside—these units can’t operate if you don’t have power. This is how so many oxygen therapy patients have fallen victim to the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Without electricity, their efforts to continue with oxygen concentrator usage proved to be futile. Since most people cannot afford generators to power their homes, many storm victims try to make do without the prescribed oxygen therapy, which can be a fatal mistake.

With that being said, there are a few ways you can take to ensure that you don’t run out of oxygen when a natural disaster strikes your area and cuts off electricity to your neighborhood. Your doctor may have mentioned the importance of buying a secondary oxygen supply, but you might have skipped on it because you didn’t want to make the investment. Now that you have seen what happens to oxygen therapy patients when there isn’t any power, you may think twice about this decision. American Medical Sales & Rentals offers a wide range of portable oxygen tanks to fit your budget, and these concentrators are more affordable than you think.

Another common concern during the aftermath of Sandy pertained to victims who ran out of their secondary oxygen supplies. These same victims were still without power, too. While your secondary oxygen supply keeps you going after the storm, it is important to have an action plan in place. This is a matter of life or death, so you want to be sure that you have the supplies you need to survive after the storm has passed. Make sure you keep in touch with American Medical Sales & Repair before and after the storm so that you have all the supplies and refills you need. Also ensure that you have enough batteries to keep the unit running.

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Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.

Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

About Scott Ridl:

Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more. Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

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