Breathing failure can happen anywhere - at home or in the street, at work or during recreation and can affect both adults and children alike. When breathing fails or stops completely in an emergency situation, it is essential that some form of artificial breathing is started to deliver oxygen to the lungs to help sustain life. This may be achieved by blowing air into the patient’s lungs using your own expired air (mouth to mouth resuscitation), by manual ventilation methods (Bag Valve Masks - BVMs) or by using special devices called emergency ventilators, which can take over breathing automatically.

Mouth to mouth resuscitation delivers an oxygen concentration of only around 18%. Emergency ventilators, however, have the ability to deliver 100% oxygen to the lungs in a more effective and controlled manner.

Lightweight, quick to set up and operating independently of electrical supply, portable gas powered ventilators (PGPVs) are ideal for use in emergency situations requiring Basic Life Support (BLS).

BLS PGPVs provide regular breaths of oxygen at the correct pressure and flow rate for the patient and are timed correctly to replace breathing by the setting of a single control. This means that both your hands can be used to hold the mask properly over the patient’s mouth and nose while positioning the head correctly so that the airway remains open.

Functioning automatically, BLS PGPVs provide repeatable, controlled quality ventilation. Their simplicity, robustness and portability make them ideal for use when breathing fails.