Buzz
If you've ever been on a flight, you're familiar with the instructions about the oxygen mask. If you looked up from your phone, you may have even seen a flight attendant show exactly how to use it. Yet, passengers on a recent Southwest flight still got it wrong:
The mask itself is a small, round cup, and it might not be immediately clear how to put it on. But the best way to use the oxygen mask is to place it over both your mouth and nose, then adjust it to minimize any gaps where oxygen could escape. If you need a reminder, there’s literally a picture right on the bag.
The masks become necessary if the cabin loses pressure at high altitudes. The air at cruising altitudes on commercial planes is too thin to keep us conscious with just that to breathe. So, every flight maintains cabin pressure by forcing extra air into the plane to make it breathable. If a breach occurs, or if the pressurization system fails, the masks will drop from their storage compartments.
The oxygen masks provide enough air for about 15 minutes. This is usually sufficient time for the pilot to bring the plane down to a lower altitude where the masks are no longer required.
Here’s the explanation behind those oxygen mask facts you’ve probably heard a hundred times:
“Pull the mask to activate the oxygen flow” - Pulling on the mask releases a pin in the oxygen generator, starting a chemical reaction that produces oxygen as one of its by-products. This oxygen then flows into the bag and tube.
“The bag may not inflate” - The oxygen generator continuously produces oxygen, but if you aren’t breathing, the bag will hold the oxygen until you do. When you inhale, it inflates. However, if you're breathing or if there’s a leak, the oxygen escapes before the bag can fully inflate. Either way, oxygen is still flowing, so keep the mask on. For optimal results, ensure a tight seal.
“Put on your mask first before helping others” - Depending on the altitude, you may only have a few seconds to minutes of “useful consciousness” without supplemental oxygen. You don’t want to waste that precious time struggling with a child while risking your own oxygen deprivation.
