Fire marshal offers portable oxygen fire safety tips

March 26--As the amount of portable medical oxygen within homes increases, the state fire marshal is offering advice to reduce the fire hazards it can cause.

"Whenever there is a higher percentage of oxygen in the air, fires will burn hotter and burn quicker," said Katelyn Abernathy, director of communications at the Department of Commerce and Insurance. "Because it's such a concentrated amount of oxygen, should there be an ignition, they (flames) would all go up at once."

Some of these tips include not smoking around any portable oxygen equipment, eliminating the use of candles, matches and wood stoves in the home, keeping oxygen containers away from heat sources, ensuring smoke detectors are working and having a home fire escape plan.

"Especially if the individual has any additional disabilities, it is important to practice a fire home escape plan," Abernathy said. "At the time when you're trying to get everybody out, you want to be able to rely on something you practice."

The increase in fires caused by medical oxygen prompted the release these tips. In the past five years, medical oxygen has caused 18 fires in Tennessee, resulting in seven fatalities, nine injuries and more than $710,000 in property damage, according to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System. Smoking was the most common cause that led to these medical oxygen-related fires.

These portable oxygen tips are a part of a larger fire prevention program brought on by the state fire marshal.

"We have a series called 52 weeks of fire safety," said Abernathy. "Every week we release a different topic on fire safety.

"We try to address (medical oxygen safety) three times a year."

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