By Mike McEvoy
EMS Editor
Updated 10/29/2010: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1917 “Standard for Automotive Ambulances” Committee worked quickly over the past few months to resolve copyright and legal issues that had stymied release of a draft document this fall. On October 26, 2010, the NFPA Standards Council approved release of a pre-ROP (Report On Proposal) draft with a public comment period ending at 5:00 PM (EDST) on Wednesday, December 15, 2010. NFPA has created a shortcut link to the draft at www.nfpa.org/1917 and also posted the draft on their proposed documents page.
Fire Engineering EMS Technical Editory Mike McEvoy represents New York State EMS on the NFPA 1917 committee, which will meet in February 2011 to address comments on the draft. Currently, most ambulance purchasers and regulators reference the federal KKK-A-1822 standard and the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Ambulance Manufacturers Division (AMD) standard (2007 version). Given that the feds have made it abundantly clear they will cease revising KKK once NFPA issues an ambulance design standard, it would behoove anyone involved in design or purchase of ambulances to look over the proposed standard and return comments prior to December 15.
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