Bill Wolfe, Captain of the Emergency Medical Services in Hoonah, Alaska, had no trouble transporting empty oxygen cylinders to the gas company when they were empty and ready to be refilled. The problems arose from the lead time required to fill the oxygen cylinders and arrange their transportation back to the station.
Logistical challenges and the station’s remote, coastal location on Chichagof Island, 47 miles west of Juneau, Alaska’s capital, made having a means of generating oxygen onsite essential.
“It took two months to get them back,” Wolfe said. “This was due mostly because of the hazard of carrying cylinders by boat and ferry. It was not a problem when they were empty.”
Hoonah boasts a population of 894 and is a popular tourist destination for cruise ships due to its natural beauty and the opportunity to observe humpback whales feeding in the waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait. In addition, unique experiences like the world’s largest and longest zipline on Hoonah Mountain, along with the rich culture of the indigenous Tlingit community, have made this coastal community a must-see destination.
“I live in paradise,” said Wolfe, who was born and raised in Hoonah, and recently came out of retirement to work with the all-volunteer 9 EMTs who work on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wolfe said their emergency calls are a mixture of Hoonah’s residents and providing essential transportation to medevac flights for people who experience a medical emergency.
Wolfe shared that the ongoing challenges of getting filled oxygen cylinders back to the station prompted the need of an on-site oxygen generation system, which had the support of the City of Hoonah, who were looking to improve city facilities.
AirSep’s Centrox-CR Oxygen Cylinder Refilling Station
AirSep’s Centrox-CR Oxygen Cylinder Refilling Station, launched in May, was the answer to the city’s needs.
This new system allows customers to stay in control. With compact and mobile units, emergency workers can fill a K-size (240 cubic feet) high-pressure cylinder with medical-grade oxygen in 11 hours.
“Everybody was surprised by how small the footprint was. It was not what they were expecting,” Wolfe said.
With the equipment’s FDA 510(k) clearance, the Centrox-CR is ideal for emergency services, including fire stations, ambulance depots, and urgent care facilities.
Also, the system offers purity up to 93 percent (93% +/- 3%) and meets the U.S. and European Pharmacopeia Oxygen 93 Percent monograph. Also, AirSep is CAGE/NCAGE Registered.
The Centrox-CR is comprised of AirSep’s Centrox oxygen generator, which utilizes the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology. The oxygen generated is then boosted to over 2000 psi. To improve the filling time, the system employs a vacuum pump to empty the high-pressure cylinders before refilling.
The system is fully assembled at AirSep’s facility in Buffalo, NY, and is easy to install, requiring only single-phase power.
The Centrox-CR consumes only 2.0 kW of power, and its minimal power requirements contribute to reduced energy consumption, supporting eco-friendly and cost-effective operations.
It requires minimal maintenance, and the air compressors and oxygen compressor are oil-free. The Centrox-CR can operate in auto or manual modes to suit each customer’s specific needs.
“I am very happy to have this machine here. It is going well, ¾ they (cylinders) are all full. I fill them myself when I need to,” he said.
To learn more about the City of Hoonah, visit https://www.cityofhoonah.org/. To learn more about the Centrox-CR, visit https://www.caireinc.com/commercial/products/oxygen-products/o2-cylinder-refilling-systems/.
Lead photo: From left, Joseph “Joe” Hennessy, Account Manager — North America; Terry Fiske – EMS Chief; Bill Wolfe, EMS captain; Somnang Pum, Clinic Nurse; Judy Brown, Volunteer EMT; Adam Brentwood, Volunteer EMT; Neal Schoenfelder, Volunteer EMT; and Sean Mclennan, Volunteer EMT.