It's April...and that means we're putting the final touches on our preparations for the Fire Department Instructor's Conference (FDIC) 2013! As with years past, FDIC 2013 will be held at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Representatives from Braun and our dealerships will be in attendance. We will have a variety of models on display through the exhibit hall.

While the event lasts from April 22 - 27, 2013, the exhibit halls are only open April 25 - 27th.  Exhibit hours are as follows:

• Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• Friday, April 26, 2013 - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Braun Industries will be located in Booth #4420. There, we will have two units on display. These include Bernalillo County's Super Chief on a Freightliner M2 and our 6,000th unit produced - a Chief XL on a G-4500. We will also have units on display in the Navistar and GM booths, details coming soon.

Bernalillo County is a Super Chief Type I ambulance. Features of the module include a Whelen lighting package, aluminum cabinets, Meganite countertops, stair chair storage on the OSS#3 door,  bariatric ramp system, and a Zoll E-Series Life Pak Bracket. The unit also includes a custom aluminum console and custom graphics package. It is built on a custom 2013 Freightliner M2 chassis with 174" wheelbase. The chassis features an ambulance prep package, 20,000 lbs GVWR, Allison 2100 EVS transmission, Kelderman rear suspension, OEM aluminum wheels, Buell air horns, and RAM computer mount. We also installed customer supplied radios into the unit.

The 6,000th unit produced by Braun Industries is a Chief XL demo unit. It includes many of the new design elements and features developed to address the forthcoming NFPA 1917 standards. The 169" module with 72" of headroom includes a Whelen LED series lighting package, Braun's exclusive EZ Glideä sliding door, Zolatone door panels, NFPA compliant curbside seating, a Hoseline FT-454 heat/ac system, angled upper cabinets, easy access equipment drawers, and a 30" wide CPR seat. It is on a 2012 Chevy G-4500 chassis with an ambulance prep package. The chassis has a 6.6 L turbo diesel engine, dual 1450 amp alternators, 57 gallon fuel tank with DEF, 14,200 lbs GVWR, 6 speed auto transmission, and 159" wheelbase.

There's lots to see in Booth #4420, so we hope you will stop by. We are also excited to announce we will be hosting a scavenger hunt at the show. Stay tuned to our blog and social media outlets for hunt directions and rules!