The Breakdown
- Five fully upfit Broncos will be donated to Search & Rescue teams.
- Two teams have already been chosen.
- Three more will be selected via a nationwide submission process.
Ford has teamed up with the National Association for Search and Rescue to deliver five fully outfitted Bronco trucks to teams that need them. The program, dubbed "Answer the Call," aims to support crews assisting those in need in hard-to-reach places.
A pair of built-up Broncos have already been confirmed for Kern County Fire & Rescue in California and the Teton County Search & Rescue in Wyoming. Ford will now open up a nationwide submission process to find three other teams that could put the trucks to work.
Gallery: Search and Rescue Ford Bronco
Ford CEO Jim Farley put this program in motion after a trip to Utah. Farley saw firsthand how the Grand County Search & Rescue Team put their own Bronco to good use on the tough terrain around them.
The automaker isn't doling out base-model Broncos here, either. Each team will receive a Badlands with the Sasquatch package. Then the trucks receive necessary upgrades for the field work.
This includes satellite connectivity for constant communication capability, winches for recovery, and all sorts of lighting upgrades. Additionally, the Broncos feature integrated drone technology to assist in real-time aerial reconnaissance.
Any teams interested in the program can head to NASAR.org to apply. The application process opens now and runs through April 30.
Motor1's Take: Any time an automaker jumps in to help organizations that do good in the world, we're happy to see it. Ford is delivering serious vehicles for serious work, and we hope this program will lead to even more help finding its way to organizations like these.
Source: Ford
