A breathing apparatus comprising: a hood sized to fit over a user's head, the hood having a visor, a sealing membrane to isolate the user's head and define a breathing chamber, and a self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) inside the hood, the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) being located behind the user's head; a user's mouthpiece connected to a front of the hood; a first tube connected to the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head and terminating at a position above the user's head for delivering oxygen to the breathing chamber and the user's mouthpiece, the user's mouthpiece including a one-way valve for intake of oxygen from the breathing chamber; a second tube connecting the user's mouthpiece to the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head for carrying carbon dioxide away from the user's mouthpiece; a first internal indicator adhered to the inside of the hood and facing a user that indicates to the user that the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head is providing a threshold oxygen level inside the breathing chamber; and a second internal indicator adhered to the inside of the hood and facing the user's head that indicates to the user that a threshold carbon dioxide level is not exceeded inside the breathing chamber; and characterized in that the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) comprises a canister containing a starter candle that activates a production of oxygen using NaClO 3, and wherein the hood includes straps configured to be pulled by the user to tension the mouthpiece against the user's face and to actuate the starter candle. a hood sized to fit over a user's head, the hood having a visor, a sealing membrane to isolate the user's head and define a breathing chamber, and a self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) inside the hood, the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) being located behind the user's head; a user's mouthpiece connected to a front of the hood; a first tube connected to the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head and terminating at a position above the user's head for delivering oxygen to the breathing chamber and the user's mouthpiece, the user's mouthpiece including a one-way valve for intake of oxygen from the breathing chamber; a second tube connecting the user's mouthpiece to the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head for carrying carbon dioxide away from the user's mouthpiece; a first internal indicator adhered to the inside of the hood and facing a user that indicates to the user that the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) behind the user's head is providing a threshold oxygen level inside the breathing chamber; and a second internal indicator adhered to the inside of the hood and facing the user's head that indicates to the user that a threshold carbon dioxide level is not exceeded inside the breathing chamber; and characterized in that the self-contained oxygen source (40, 70) comprises a canister containing a starter candle that activates a production of oxygen using NaClO 3, and wherein the hood includes straps configured to be pulled by the user to tension the mouthpiece against the user's face and to actuate the starter candle.