The Lynchburg Fire Department utilizes portable oxygen cylinders to provide immediate medical oxygen support for those patients requiring the use of oxygen at the scene of EMS calls. These portable cylinders are carried on a variety of fire equipment such as Engines, Ladder Trucks, Medic Units, Battalion Chief vehicles, etc. There are two different cylinder sizes the Lynchburg Fire Department maintains an inventory of throughout its eight Fire Stations. Currently, each oxygen cylinder is rented on a daily basis and is physically brought to a local vendor for replacement purposes on an as-needed basis. In addition to the as-needed exchanges, every Friday, full cylinders are delivered by the current vendor to Fire Station #1 for purposes of establishing a brief emergency inventory of cylinders to ensure an adequate number are available throughout the weekend. The Lynchburg Fire Department desires to continue this method of ‘swapping’ out cylinders locally when necessary, as well as, the weekly delivery of oxygen cylinders to Station #1. The Lynchburg Fire Department currently maintains an inventory of approximately 85 Dcylinders and 15 H-cylinders at its disposal.
