Every custom ambulance project we take on at Braun is a unique experience. However, our recent delivery to the student-led MIT Emergency Medical Services team was an awesome undertaking. The result is what MIT-EMS Technical Director Mark Forgues calls “the single most comfortable vehicle I have ever ridden in the back of.” It was a pleasure working with MIT students to see their vision become a reality.

Plans for the new ambulance began in 2011, when the team identified obvious shortcomings in their previous ambulance built in 2003. Inhibited by outdated technology and limited maneuverability in the box to provide adequate patient care, the students started dreaming up their next-generation ambulance. The planning process included on-site visits to other ambulances in service, teleconferences with leading international safety experts, and even a space dedicated to the physical layout of the new ambulance - replicating the module dimensions and subbing in boxes for seats, stretchers, and cabinets. Safety was the primary focus of the design, honing in on five-point harnesses, swivel seats, and ergonomic storage locations for equipment and supplies.

After six months and countless rejections by major ambulance manufacturers, Braun Industries accepted the challenge of building the MIT ambulance. Featuring unusual dimensions and countless customizations, the Braun Chief XL was chosen as the model best matched to MIT’s blueprints. The unit had an eight month build time.

Notable features of the MIT ambulance include:

• Lack of “strike zones” designed to eliminate protrusions and protect EMS crew from hitting their head while working. This includes embedded video displays and eye-level drawers with magnetic seals instead of traditional cabinetry.
• LED panels in place of dome lights.
• GPS unit and side and reverse cameras for enhanced navigation.
• Exterior equipment and supply storage space.

The unique design of the unit helped recognize MIT-EMS with an Innovation of the Year Award by the Metropolitan Boston Emergency Medical Services Council. It also serves to commemorate Sean Collier, the MIT police officer killed in the line of duty last April in relation to the Boston Marathon Bombings. The vehicle bears license plate number 179, Collier’s badge number.  A custom graphic on the side of the ambulance also celebrates his memory.

It was an honor to work with such innovator thinkers as the students and team at MIT-EMS. We are proud to see a Braun ambulance bring their dream to life!

For more on the MIT-EMS ambulance, read Engineering the MIT ambulance on their website.