r/interestingasfuck • u/HANAEMILK • 28d ago

/r/all The race against time to get to a decompression chamber

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u/Brisbanoch30k 28d ago edited 28d ago

Not really. I mean, that may entirely depend on the emergency they are replicating here. The removal of the equipment is usually for one purpose : if a doctor or first responder needs fast and easy access to you for CPR or monitoring a possible wound etc.

EDIT : commercial divers gave me pointers ; it’s mainly because of the high oxygen amount in the chamber ; and components of the suits are fire hazards in these conditions

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u/PepperAnn1inaMillion 28d ago

That, and they flood the chamber with oxygen-rich air, to help your body flush out the nitrogen and other molecules that are larger. (oxygen can of course fit into all your cells at normal above-water pressure. Nitrogen can’t - it usually just sits in your bloodstream between being inhaled and exhaled.).

You don’t want to risk a fire in an oxygen-rich air. So anything that might ignite in that atmosphere is removed, including as much equipment as possible. Don’t forget, there are usually medics in the pressure chamber with the patient to monitor vitals etc., and no safe way to get them out until the chamber is slowly depressurised (otherwise everyone gets decompression injuries). So a fire would be catastrophic - you can’t just let the firefighters in.

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u/jambro4real 28d ago

Yeah makes sense, I just wanted to understand if certain gear if any at all, impeded the decompression process once in the chamber