[JumpItHighPie]

It would take a lot more than in house training to convince me to comfortably operate such a system. How scary and heartbreaking.

[VicariousRider]

Just one quick question-who the heck is going to investigate this- NOBODY because it is operated outside any and all regulatory oversight????

No neutral (more or less) governing body to objectively examine everything and bear the considerable cost of fornesic testing of all component parts and how they were functioning?????

If you read the articles they state that the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) is investigating. In this case that might seem like too little too late but it might help determine safety protocols moving forward.

Don't forget that the state can bring criminal and civil claims against individuals as well through the state and federal Attorneys General, the District Attorney's office, etc. While there is prosecutorial discretion and the system is not perfect, this type of thing cannot necessarily escape the probing eye of the government (who can sue on behalf of the general citizenry).

[deltawave]

If you read the articles they state that the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) is investigating. In this case that might seem like too little too late but it might help determine safety protocols moving forward.

Operating something in the workplace outside of recommended guidelines doesn't give anyone a pass on complying with OSHA! In fact, that is where OSHA can do its best work.

It is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY that this investigation go forward. Hyperbaric therapy IS legitimate for a number of medical conditions, and it would be an even worse shame if nothing was learned from this disaster.

[VicariousRider]

Operating something in the workplace outside of recommended guidelines doesn't give anyone a pass on complying with OSHA! In fact, that is where OSHA can do its best work.

It is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY that this investigation go forward. Hyperbaric therapy IS legitimate for a number of medical conditions, and it would be an even worse shame if nothing was learned from this disaster.

Agreed. What I mean by too little too late is that we can't bring back that young woman. But we MUST learn something from this.

[Coanteen]

My question is this: Why did she not run to the emergency shut off valve? I know that it takes a while to bring a horse up to surface, but there is an O2 emergency shut off valve that stops any additional O2 going to the chamber. I'm sad to see while she may have worked there for 2 years, there is not mention of any training she would have received that would have resulted in either a CHT or CHVT.

The entire chamber, which is rather large, was pressurized with 100% O2 that was already burning. There was a lot of O2 under pressure in that chamber. Switching off the valve (which she likely did in order to try bringing the horse to the surface; letting in additional O2 would compress the chamber, not decompress it) was really moot at that point.

That's why human monoplaces (pressurized with O2 like the equine chamber, as opposed to multiplaces pressurized with air) aren't required to even have fire suppression systems: it's recognized that once the pure O2 atmosphere starts burning, there's pretty much nothing that can be done. Only thing she could've done at that point is run for it.

[bugsynskeeter]

The entire chamber, which is rather large, was pressurized with 100% O2 that was already burning. There was a lot of O2 under pressure in that chamber. Switching off the valve (which she likely did in order to try bringing the horse to the surface; letting in additional O2 would compress the chamber, not decompress it) was really moot at that point.

That's why human monoplaces (pressurized with O2 like the equine chamber, as opposed to multiplaces pressurized with air) aren't required to even have fire suppression systems: it's recognized that once the pure O2 atmosphere starts burning, there's pretty much nothing that can be done. Only thing she could've done at that point is run for it.

I worked with an HBOT chamber, so I do know how big they are. The emergency shut off valve is on the O2 tank, not the chamber. It has nothing to do with bring a horse to surface, which I'm sure she was trying to do by venting the chamber. I agree there was nothing she could do but run.

[Coanteen]

I worked with an HBOT chamber, so I do know how big they are. The emergency shut off valve is on the O2 tank, not the chamber. It has nothing to do with bring a horse to surface, which I'm sure she was trying to do by venting the chamber. I agree there was nothing she could do but run.

There should certainly be a proximal shut-off valve on the chamber's control panel; there's usually more than one way to shut off gas flow into the chamber. The switch on the control panel would be the fastest way to switch it off, since I'm not sure where the O2 tanks were located in this case (ours are a few storeys down, outside the building housing the chamber complex; I'm guessing their was more of a FARCC design, at least as to where the gas supply was being kept).

[RedRyderKy]

So if KESMARC in Ky is not part of KESMARC in Ocala then who started their business first and why are their logos so similar?

[maxxtrot]

kesmarc ocala was sold in 2010 to a new owner. it was part of the deal to keep the name kesmarc.(so i am being informed of)

ky, was the first one built.

[RedRyderKy]

maxxtrot- Thanks for clearing that up.

[Toadie's mom]

"Marshall was staring at the monitor, and crying". That has to be one of the saddest things I've ever read.

[blood bay]

apparently she grew up in medford nj. i wonder what disipline she did?

[Canterwell]

I don't mean this to sound voyeuristic as I am genuinely curious: what would have killed the horse? The percussive power of the explosion; asphyxiation; the sudden pressure change?

[EquineLVR]

Such a terrible tradgedy.. My heartfelt condonlences to the family of the girl who was killed.. many prayers and godspeed..

Prayers for the girl injured for a speedy recover and condolences to Lauren on the loss of her horse and godspeed..

Heartbreaking..

[RAyers]

I don't mean this to sound voyeuristic as I am genuinely curious: what would have killed the horse? The percussive power of the explosion; asphyxiation; the sudden pressure change?

At the pressure and 100% O2 atmosphere the horse would have combusted, literally the tissues become flammable and ignite. There would be very little left of the animal and the process would have been very quick.

Reed

[deltawave]

I don't mean this to sound voyeuristic as I am genuinely curious: what would have killed the horse? The percussive power of the explosion; asphyxiation; the sudden pressure change?

Immolation.

[Win1]

. KESMARC in Versailles has been very adamant that they are not involved with the KESMARC Ocala operation in any way. I have seen Hyperbarics do amazing things so I hope is does not get thrown out completely because of this, but I do hope they set up regulations for it across the board.

The owner of Equine Hyperbarics is also the owner of Kesmarc KY, Kirsten Johnson. The two Kesmarc facilities are identical businesses with identical names and logos, they are involved whether they like it or not.

[Grataan]

The owner of Equine Hyperbarics is also the owner of Kesmarc KY, Kirsten Johnson. The two Kesmarc facilities are identical businesses with identical names and logos, they are involved whether they like it or not.

Unfortunately for you that's not the case. KESMARC KY helped set up the FL site and then for whatever reasons the two companies parted ways. They have completely separate ownership.

[riderboy]

According to Eventing magazine the horse was receiving a "general wellness treatment" in preparation for the upcoming competition season. This from Sue Clark, the stable manager at Stonehall Farm in The Plains, VA.
What possible benefit could hyperbaric oxygen have on "general wellness"?

[deltawave]

That question may now be taken a little bit more seriously given the disaster.

It's beyond tragic that lives had to be lost to rein in the ridiculous excesses that people will go to to give themselves or their horses even a PERCEIVED "edge" or health boost.

I hope to God this sort of thing becomes as tightly regulated as narcotics or other extremely risky "treatments" now.