Orcas Island Fire Chief Mik Preysz has resigned after a review of his conduct with department members. "It's going to take some adjustment, but morale in the department is good," said Fire Commissioner Wes Heinmiller. "We are business as usual." Preysz was placed on administrative leave in mid-March.
- PUB DATE: 4/11/2016 1:17:59 PM - SOURCE: San Juan Islands' Sounder

Orcas Island Fire Chief Mik Preysz has resigned after a review of his conduct with department members. "It's going to take some adjustment, but morale in the department is good," said Fire Commissioner Wes Heinmiller. "We are business as usual." Preysz was placed on administrative leave in mid-March.
- PUB DATE: 4/11/2016 1:17:59 PM - SOURCE: San Juan Islands' Sounder

APPLETON, Wis. (April 11, 2016) – Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) Company and the leading North American manufacturer of fire and emergency vehicles, will display a total of 18 fire and emergency apparatus – and demonstrate new technologies – during the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) Exhibition in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 21-23, 2016. In addition, Pierce will sponsor and host the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb inside Lucas Oil Stadium (LOS).

“Pierce continues to lead the industry because of the performance, quality, advanced technologies, and unmatched support we deliver to our customers each and every day,” said Matt McLeish, Pierce Manufacturing vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re laser-focused on building the best fire trucks for our customers, and are proud of each of the 18 unique and innovative apparatus on display. Having such a wide range of vehicles at FDIC – together with over 400 individuals representing Pierce and our dealer network – is what truly sets us apart.”

Pierce maintains its central hub location at the entrance of LOS where, this year, it will feature 11 vehicles, including a wide range of pumper, aerial, and rescue apparatus. The company will hold a presentation at LOS on Thursday, April 21 at 1:00 pm EDT to introduce the vehicles and technologies on hand.  A second Pierce booth, showcasing five apparatus, will be located at stand #5521 in the Indianapolis Convention Center. Two additional apparatus will be on display outdoors between the convention center and stadium.

Other highlights at the Pierce booth will include all-new configurations of the Pierce® Ascendant™ 107-foot heavy-duty ladder (built on a single rear axle chassis) including the PUC™ pump, Texas Chute Out body (side stack hosebed), and a no pump / no tank body. Pierce sales and product development experts will be on hand to gather firefighter feedback on these expanded offerings. Available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, the Pierce Ascendant has garnered high praise from the industry and more than 60 orders in less than a year, making it the most popular new aerial apparatus product offering in the history of Pierce. In addition, Pierce engineers will be on hand to conduct live demonstrations, and gather firefighter feedback on Pierce’s new Command Zone™ advanced electronics and controls system.

Held to honor America’s fallen firefighters, this year’s NFFF 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb’s starting line as well as the traditional bell ringing at the finish line will take place in the Pierce booth.  Photos of the Stair Climb finishers will be uploaded to the Pierce Facebook page, and each “like” or “share” will result in a $1 donation to the NFFF up to $10,000. Visit Pierce social media outlets for more details, and visit the NFFF website to register for the climb.

About Pierce Manufacturing

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus, including custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, minipumpers, elliptical tankers, and homeland security apparatus. In addition, Pierce designs its own foam systems and was the first company to introduce frontal airbags and the Side Roll Protection system to fire apparatus. Pierce markets its products through the industry’s largest and most comprehensive dealer and service network. The company enjoys a nationwide web of dealerships with over 600 certified and factory trained Service Brigade technicians and over 50 service centers. Visit www.piercemfg.com to le

(April 11, 2016) - REV Group, Inc. (“REV Group”), a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles for commercial, fire & emergency and recreation markets, announced today the acquisition of Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (“KME” or the “Company”).

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, KME has grown to over 800 associates with company operations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, and California.  The Company produces a broad portfolio of high quality and customized specialty vehicle products, and markets them to fire-rescue, military, aviation, and industrial customers globally.  KME’s products include fire apparatus (pumpers, aerials, tankers), rescue vehicles, and fuel trucks, among others.

“Over a span of 70 years, our family and company associates have proudly served our customers,” stated John Kovatch III, President & CEO of KME.  “We are very proud of what our employees have accomplished over that time span and thank them for their hard work and dedication to outstanding customer service.  REV Group has great expertise in the specialty vehicle industry and we look forward to even further growth with them in the years ahead,” he added.

Concurrent with the transaction close, John Kovatch III will be leaving his position as KME’s President & CEO, however he will play an integral role during the transition phase as KME becomes part of the REV group.  John will interact directly with Tim Sullivan, REV’s Group CEO. 

The Company headquarters and its primary manufacturing operations will remain in Nesquehoning, PA. This facility along with other KME facilities in Roanoke, VA; Ontario, CA; Albany, NY; and Rockaway, NJ will continue to be an integral part of their operations. KME also has an extensive independent dealer network that will continue promoting and selling the KME brand and product portfolio worldwide.

 “We are extremely excited to have KME join REV Group,” stated Tim Sullivan, CEO.  “KME brings a tremendous brand, a talented group of employees and a world class product portfolio that adds to our capabilities to better serve our customers’ and dealers’ needs throughout the country,” he added.  “Additionally, John’s breadth of industry experience will be very beneficial after the acquisition and I look forward to working with him.  We congratulate him on his leadership over the past several decades which has resulted in the outstanding business that exists today,” Sullivan concluded.  

The transaction is expected to close early in the second quarter of 2016.

About REV Group, Inc.

REV Group, Inc. is an approximately $2 billion sales manufacturer of industry-leading specialty vehicles serving multiple markets.  Within the commercial division, REV offers a full line of buses, terminal trucks, sweepers, and mobility conversion vehicles.  The fire & emergency division offers a complete line of fire apparatus and ambulance vehicles.  Within the recreation vehicle division, the company produces motorized RVs under several of the industry’s most iconic brands.  For more information about REV visit www.REVgroup.com

VAN WERT, OH—Braun Industries, Inc. is gearing up to attend FDIC International 2016. Being held in Indianapolis, IN, April 18-23, 2016, the custom ambulance manufacturer will have units on display in Booth #3665. More importantly, Braun is planning to debut footage from an ambulance crash test completed earlier this year. As the fire/EMS industry's first ambulance rollover test, the video shows the incredible force exerted on an emergency vehicle and the effect on the module from a side-impact accident. Featuring a Braun ambulance that is over ten years old, it is also a testament to the safety and quality of Braun Industries' unique SolidBody™ Construction.

"This is something we've been working on for quite a while," says Braun Industries, Inc. President, Kim Braun. "We are eager to show it first at FDIC International 2016; having the opportunity to view the crash test footage with our dealer representatives and customers in person—together—at our largest trade show is something we're very excited about. We have always been a company committed to safety and quality, but the strategic investment to conduct the industry's first rollover crash test is helping us take it to the next level with tangible proof. We want to lead the way in ambulance safety and design, and one of the ways we can do that is by ensuring our emergency vehicles meet and exceed current safety standards. Developing repeatable crash test scenarios in a controlled environment takes a lot of time and money-and it's not an investment our competition has been willing to make yet. We felt this was a critical initiative to undertake sooner than later, and we're looking forward to sharing the results at FDIC 2016 International first." 

According to data collected between 1992 and 2011 through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrative and U.S. Department of Transportation, there is an estimated average of 4,500 vehicle traffic crashes involving an ambulance each year. Of those accidents, 34 percent result in injuries and an average 33 people are killed. Recognizing the need for improved standards, new guidelines have been introduced in recent years for ambulance safety and design. Braun Industries, Inc. has focused its crash testing on meeting and exceeding the standards set forth by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The rollover test that will debut at FDIC 2016 most closely compares to the proposed SAE J3057 body integrity test.

SAE J3057 outlines proposed procedures for conducting quasi-static structural integrity testing of the patient compartment for ground-based ambulance applications. Developed by members of the SAE Truck Crashworthiness Committee, it applies science to the design and testing of the patient compartment structure for a standardized, data-based approach to ambulance safety. This particular test focuses on the modular body and roll impact loading, or in simpler terms, how well the box holds up in the event of a rollover.

The crash test footage will be shown first at FDIC International 2016, giving show attendees an exclusive look at how the Braun ambulance module holds up in an accident rollover. Condensed into a two-minute film, the video will be presented on a continuous loop in Booth #3665. Fou