ODESSA, Texas — A five-gas monitor is a small device that fits in the palm of your hand, but the ability it has to save lives can’t be overestimated
That’s because it detects deadly gases like H₂S and carbon monoxide.
An Odessa couple fell victim to H₂S gas on October 26, leaving their two children orphaned. Awareness of how dangerous the gas is has begun to spread.
Captain Marc Brown and his colleagues at the Odessa Fire Department carry it with them when responding to house fires, but it’s also found in the West Texas oil fields where H₂S gas is common.
“A lot of times when they’re drilling for oil or natural gas it gets into those pockets of oil where this has been lying dormant," Brown said.
But the gas is highly flammable, and incredibly toxic to those exposed to it.
The gasses are measured by the monitor in parts per million-the higher the part, the higher the risk.
Side effects become more serious with longer exposure, beginning with watery eyes and escalating to something as severe as a convulsion or coma.
The monitor sets off an alarm and displays the level of parts per million when it detects an unsafe level. Users can reset the level as they see fit.
It can even detect the smallest change in oxygen by simply breathing on it.
Captain Brown said the monitor should be worn high up on the chest area, such as being clipped to a shirt or blouse.
"Wear your H₂S monitors," Brown said. "Anybody that’s typically in the oil production profession carries an H₂S monitor that is essential to their safety."