Oregon Invention Vetted by Maryland Fire Department After Ambulance Explosion

Nov. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- BRENTWOOD, Md. – Medical oxygen tanks, a necessary part of an ambulance’s equipment, can be hazardous when not secured properly, as seen in a September fire in a Maryland neighborhood.  The explosion that blew the roof off an unoccupied private ambulance was caused by a loose oxygen tank, according to Dave Statter from Statter 911.  Fortunately, firefighters responded quickly and no one was hurt.  LoopRope™, a revolutionary tie-down system that replaces flimsy bungee cords, is now being investigated by a Maryland Volunteer Fire Department as a safer way of securing oxygen tanks in ambulances.

“LoopRope™ is definitely the ideal product for ambulances to transport oxygen tanks safely and securely,” says LoopRope™ inventor Jeff Dahl. “We would be honored to partner with the Maryland Fire Department.  Firefighters and medics put their life on the line every day: we should do everything in our power to protect their safety.”

According to the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, “Portable cylinders may be packaged in a rigid or padded protective case and then stored in a cabinet or strapped to the ambulance cot.”  If the tank is strapped to the cot with bungee cords, there is a greater chance of hazard, as the hook design has been known to fail.  Thomas Jefferson University researchers who studied serious injuries related to bungee cords failing and snapping stated, “We advocate a modification in the design of these cords.”

Jeff Dahl of Southern Oregon has taken this modification task to hand.  LoopRope™ was invented in 2009 after Dahl, became frustrated with ropes and flimsy bungee cords during a trip to the dump.  He eventually settled on a design with permanent loops in shock cord made by crimping aluminum ferrules.  The load is secured with two stainless steel carabiners. LoopRope™ is more versatile than knotted ropes and cargo nets, and safer and more convenient than bungee cords which have flimsy hooks and limited lengths.

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About LoopRope™
The LoopRope™ is made of one continuous piece of shock cord fastened together to create permanent loops. LoopRope™ comes in 3, 4, and 5-foot lengths. Each LoopRope™ comes with two dual-sided, stainless steel carabiners. One 5-foot LoopRope™ gives you 10 custom tie-down lengths and over 18 attachment points. Use it everywhere; it’s secure, fast and easy. Users are discovering many different ways to secure items: check out video examples on the website. www[dot]LoopRope™[dot]com LoopRope™: tie downs made easy!