Musher's message: New federal rule could cause deaths

Published on March 4th, 2010

By DONNA BACH, PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR YKHC

A federal regulation imposed on the state of Alaska in October of last year is causing quite a stir among the health and aviation industries, according to a statement from the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp.

YKHC in partnership Norton Sound Health Corporation and numerous rural health care providers throughout rural Alaska are hoping to send a message to the federal Department of Transportation by campaigning for a "Race for Oxygen" and sponsoring Pete Kaiser, a longtime Bethel musher in an awareness campaign.

The recent Department of Transportation regulation requires that all oxygen tanks transported aboard airplanes be placed in rigid packaging that can stand up to stringent heat tests.

However, the manufacturer of the rigid packaging has not produced enough packaging to make it readily available in Alaska. Many air carriers in Alaska's aviation industry have applied and received permit exemptions -- which are due to expire this summer.

There is a strong sentiment among many in the health care and aviation industry to allow the state of Alaska a permanent exemption due to the state's unique geographic challenges and lack of road infrastructure between it's rural communities, the statement said.

The aviation industry in Alaska and health care providers argue that the requirement will cause unintentional consequences and possible deaths and will lead to a depleted availability of the life-saving transportable oxygen often used by patients with chronic bronchial and lung infections, asthma or other breathing related illnesses, the statement said.

Considered the "Last Great Race on Earth," the inspiration behind the Iditarod trail race began in 1925 for a health related cause. A relay of dog teams and mushers were organized to provide the life-saving diphtheria serum to treat many of the Inuit residents stricken with the pandemic because blizzard conditions prevented airplanes from landing in the Bering Strait community of Nome. The Iditarod Trail became a life-saving highway for many in Nome who may have died without the life-saving serum.

"This is another example where federal regulations that may work or be applicable in the Lower 48 states due to their extensive road system network will not work in a state that is one-third the size of the continental U.S. and lacks basic road infrastructure," said YKHC chief executive Gene Peltola.

"We want to support Pete Kaiser's efforts in his premier Iditarod trail run to simulate that of the Serum Run in highlighting how difficult the transport of oxygen can be for many of our rural patients. This is a life and death situation for many patients, and harmful to several industries throughout Alaska," Peltola stated.

The regulation changes were first proposed in 2004 by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation in correlation to a ValuJet flight 592 that crashed in Florida in 1996. Improperly stored chemical oxygen generators burst into flames in a cargo compartment resulted in the death of all 110 passengers aboard and prompted the use of rigid packaging for safety purposes.

"It must be stated-the Valujet accident with chemical oxygen generators are different than most oxygen tanks or bottles commonly used for health care patients in transport," said Greg McIntyre, vice president of Support Services for YKHC.

"The new DOT federal regulation requirements affects compressed gasses used for construction and this can be detrimental in how we are able to provide quality health care services to our region. We want a permanent exemption for oxygen transport specific to patient care.

There are tremendous cost burdens associated with the special fire-proof packaging in addition to their lack of availability to many in the aviation industry in Alaska, the statement said.

There are rising concerns among health care corporations and hospitals throughout Alaska regarding the special oxygen tank packaging and along with it, a higher price tag.

YKHC provides comprehensive health care services to over 44 village clinics in a region the size of the state of Oregon. Despite few opportunities for vehicle or off-road vehicle transportation on historical trails or ice roads available only throughout the cold winter months, nearly 100 percent of the villages can only be accessed by airplane year around.

"For delivery of care to our health patients, air transportation is the most dependable method for getting them to higher levels of care when there are acute or urgent health concerns that need to be addressed immediately," said Dr. Ellen Hodges, chief of Medical Staff for YKHC. "If Alaska is unable to obtain a permanent exemption from this regulation -- which doesn't fit in our ability to deliver comprehensive care, there will be dire consequences in our health outcomes."

Pete Kaiser, 22, a Bethel born Alaska Native and champion sled dog musher stated "I feel honored to support a cause that may have an unintentional impact in the health outcomes of people in our region and throughout most of rural Alaska. Our state is large, our region is unique, and our health challenges are staggering. I will do my best to not only finish this race but to assist in bringing this topic to the forefront and echo the sentiments that health challenges still exist in the Last Frontier."

"I know it's not a diphtheria serum, but in a sense, it's very similar and a worthwhile cause," he said with a smile.

Donna Bach is the director of Public Relations for YKHC.