With over 40 years in the EMS industry, Braun has established itself as a leader among competitors. One way we aim to do this is by staying on top of the latest industry trends and needs. We are always at the forefront of safety mandates, constantly seeking out innovative ways to protect the patients and crew that ride in our emergency vehicles.

There has been a lot of talk in the ambulance community about the forthcoming NFPA 1917 standards. These will be the new standards for automotive ambulances that were originally set to go into effect January 1, 2013. The document is currently under review, with the next edition due out in 2016.

In order to stay on top of these standards and provide practical industry knowledge in the development of them, Scott Braun, Braun Vice President of Quality Solutions, has been appointed an NFPA 1917 Technical Committee Member. Chad Brown, Braun's VP of Sales & Marketing, serves as his alternate. Scott joins other representatives from ambulance manufacturers, fire departments, chassis builders, and more to help properly scope out these new standards. 

To date, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances, has been somewhat controversial. Without gaining widespread adoption, the document is currently open for public input. This public input period will last until July 8, 2013; an electronic system for submitting and processing feedback was recently implemented to facilitate this dialog. The 1917 Committee is also currently considering two tentative interim amendments that were proposed by the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO).

If you'd like to review the  current version, you can view it on the NFPA website. There, you can also submit your comments.

We look forward to keeping you informed about the latest on NFPA 1917 as things progress!