State Fire Marshal urges home oxygen-users to utilize thermal fuses to stop fire in its tracks
As the temperatures fall, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) urges Ohioans who use home oxygen therapy systems to take advantage of a life-saving piece of equipment, especially in the event the oxygen tubing ignites by an open flame source. When installed on oxygen tubing, thermal fuses will stop the flow of oxygen once a fire is detected, quickly stopping further spread.
Smoking while on oxygen is extremely dangerous since, once oxygen tubing catches fire, that fire can travel quickly down the tubing and ignite everything in its path, including a person’s clothing, furniture and carpet. An oxygen-rich environment can make flammable materials ignite faster and burn more rapidly, which can create a dangerous situation since some who utilize home oxygen systems may have difficulty with mobility.
Smoking-related fires are the top cause of fire fatalities in the state. Since 2022, 51 individuals in Ohio have died in fire-related incidents involving smoking, with the vast majority of those incidents being the result of someone smoking while on oxygen. According to the American Thoracic Society, more than 1.5 million Americans require home oxygen therapy.
SFM urges anyone who is on oxygen to never smoke and to stay away from open flames, such as a gas stove or candle. As an added precaution, SFM’s Fire Prevention Bureau recommends that two thermal fuses be installed on every oxygen line.
“We never want people to smoke while on oxygen because it is extremely dangerous,” said SFM Fire Prevention Bureau Chief Anita Metheny. “If someone’s oxygen system catches fire, not only can individuals suffer severe burns to their airway, but the fire can travel down the tubing and ignite practically everything around them, possibly resulting in them perishing in a house fire. Thermal fuses have the potential to save your life should your oxygen tubing catch fire from any open flame source. Whether you smoke or not, if you are on oxygen, we strongly urge you to make sure these devices are installed on your home oxygen therapy system.”
There are multiple ways for Ohioans to obtain thermal fuses. Individuals who are prescribed oxygen should ask the oxygen companies to provide the items, or they can visit any medical supply company to learn where they can be purchased, often for less than $10 per fuse.
Individuals may also contact their local fire department to see if they have thermal fuses available free of charge. Through a program established in 2022, SFM works with many fire departments across the state to equip them with thermal fuses to install for Ohioans while out on calls. For those fire departments that don’t currently participate, they should contact their Fire Safety Educator from SFM’s Fire Prevention Bureau to learn how they can enroll in the Thermal Fuse Program.
“Simply put, the best and safest option for individuals who use home oxygen is to avoid open flames altogether,” Metheny said. “However, just like a sprinkler system is able to automatically detect and extinguish a fire, these thermal fuses serve as a last line of defense for individuals who use oxygen, and they very well could mean the difference between life and death.”
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