Ford Bronco Wild Fund Launches ‘Answer the Call’ Initiative to Support Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams Across America’s Toughest Terrain

In the high-heat summer of 2025, a series of smartphone videos began circulating through the internal communication channels at Ford Motor Company’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. The footage, originally posted to Instagram, featured a 2024 Ford Bronco Badlands navigating the jagged, unforgiving verticality of the Utah desert. It wasn’t a promotional reel or a weekend hobbyist’s adventure; it was a high-stakes emergency response. The vehicle was a primary asset for the Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR) team, seen zipping through rugged terrain to reach a stranded individual in a race against the elements. When the video eventually landed on the desk of Ford CEO Jim Farley, it sparked a corporate pivot that would bridge the gap between automotive engineering and life-saving public service.

Grand County, Utah, is a sprawling 3,682-square-mile expanse of redrock desert, encompassing iconic landmarks such as Moab, the Green River, and the labyrinthine corridors of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. It is a region defined by its geological extremes—soaring sandstone fins, deep alluvial washes, and "slickrock" surfaces that offer high traction but zero margin for error. Consequently, the county operates one of the busiest search and rescue departments in the United States. As outdoor recreation continues to surge—driven by a post-pandemic desire for remote adventure—the strain on local resources has reached a breaking point.

“Most of our incidents are recreation-related—people getting injured or lost in the desert,” explains Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins. For Wiggins, the mission is personal and generational; he is the fifth member of the Wiggins family to hold the office, carrying a century-long legacy of law enforcement in the region. Having been involved in search and rescue for over a decade, Wiggins has witnessed the evolution of both the tourists and the technology required to save them. He notes that the department’s previous 4×4 vehicles often buckled under the mechanical stress of the Moab backcountry. “We need the 4×4 to get to some of these locations where a normal pickup or car won’t make it,” Wiggins says. Before the acquisition of the Bronco, the department’s off-road fleet suffered from frequent downtime, spending as much time in the repair shop as it did on the trails. In 2024, seeking a more durable solution, the county invested in a Ford Bronco, a decision that would eventually catch the eye of the global automotive giant.

The impact of the GCSAR Bronco was so profound that Jim Farley decided to witness its operation firsthand. Farley, known for his "boots on the ground" approach to leadership and his personal passion for performance driving, traveled to Moab to meet Sheriff Wiggins and the rescue team. The visit was more than a ceremonial photo opportunity; Farley joined GCSAR Sergeant Bradley Hines for a grueling field demonstration. He watched as the Bronco Badlands performed technical rock-crawling maneuvers, darted through sandy washes, and maintained stability across loose scree at high speeds.

For Farley, the visit served as a case study in "purpose-built" utility. It became clear that in the 3,000 square miles of Grand County’s furrowed canyons, a capable vehicle is not a luxury—it is a piece of medical equipment. The terrain attracts a specific breed of athlete: climbers, BASE jumpers, mountain bikers, and backcountry skiers. When these pursuits go as planned, they represent the pinnacle of American outdoor culture. When they go wrong, the resulting injuries are often catastrophic, requiring rapid extraction from locations inaccessible to helicopters or standard ambulances.

The data surrounding search and rescue in the U.S. reveals a startling vulnerability in the nation’s safety net. In 2025 alone, GCSAR conducted 143 rescue operations. Across the country, approximately 99 percent of search and rescue missions are carried out by volunteers. These individuals frequently provide their own gear, use their personal vehicles, and dedicate thousands of hours to training, all without a paycheck. This volunteer-centric model is currently facing an unprecedented crisis.

“Things have only gotten harder in the past year, especially with the cuts in funding and personnel at the National Park Service,” says Chris Boyer, Executive Director of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR). As federal and state budgets for outdoor recreation management shrink, the burden shifts onto local volunteer units. These teams are often underfunded and under-equipped, relying on aging vehicles that may not survive the extreme conditions of a modern rescue mission.

Recognizing this systemic gap, Farley returned to Ford headquarters with a directive: find a way to put the Bronco’s capabilities into the hands of those who need it most. This led to the creation of the "Answer the Call" initiative, a partnership between the Ford Bronco Wild Fund and NASAR. The program was designed to bypass the traditional bureaucratic hurdles of equipment procurement. Ford pledged to donate five brand-new, fully customized Bronco Badlands models equipped with the Sasquatch Package to qualifying SAR teams across the country.

The "Answer the Call" program is not a standard fleet donation. Each vehicle is upfitted in collaboration with Darley, a leading provider of firefighting and emergency response equipment. The customization process is rigorous, ensuring each Bronco is a mobile command center tailored to the specific geography of the receiving team. Key technological integrations include:

1. Starlink Satellite Connectivity: In the "dead zones" of the Intermountain West or the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, traditional radio and cellular signals often fail. Starlink allows SAR teams to maintain high-speed communication with base camps and hospitals, facilitating real-time medical consultations and GPS tracking.
2. Drone Technology: The Broncos are equipped with advanced aerial reconnaissance drones, allowing rescuers to scout dangerous cliffsides or deep canyons from a safe distance, significantly reducing the "search" time in search and rescue.
3. Sasquatch Package Specs: The vehicles feature 35-inch mud-terrain tires, electronic-locking front and rear axles, and a High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS) system. These features allow the vehicles to traverse obstacles that would stop a standard SUV, ensuring rescuers can drive closer to the victim’s location.
4. Specialized Recovery Gear: Advanced winches, heavy-duty brush guards, and specialized lighting arrays are standard, allowing for operations to continue through the night and in inclement weather.

The first recipients of these vehicles represent some of the most challenging environments in the U.S. Beyond Grand County’s influence, teams in Kern County, California—home to the rugged Sierra Nevada foothills—and Teton County, Wyoming—where high-altitude mountaineering accidents are frequent—have been selected. Kent County Search and Rescue has also been highlighted as a beneficiary, demonstrating the program’s reach from the arid West to the wooded regions of the Midwest.

“Volunteers won’t have to put any more money into the Bronco,” Chris Boyer notes. “When it rolls off the transport vehicle, it’s ready to go out and fulfill its mission.” This financial relief is significant; a fully upfitted SAR vehicle can cost upwards of $80,000 to $100,000, a figure often out of reach for small-town volunteer boards.

The initiative also reflects a broader trend in corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the automotive industry. By aligning the Bronco brand with search and rescue, Ford is reinforcing the vehicle’s identity as a rugged, reliable tool rather than just a lifestyle accessory. This "functional branding" resonates with a consumer base that increasingly values authenticity and community impact. The Bronco Wild Fund, which oversees this initiative, has a long-standing mission to increase access to the outdoors while promoting preservation. The "Answer the Call" program extends this mission by ensuring that as more people head into the wilderness, the safety infrastructure is there to support them.

Mikki Hastings, President of NASAR, emphasized the life-saving potential of the partnership in a recent statement: “A capable vehicle doesn’t just get you to the scene; it brings the lost home safe. For under-resourced volunteer units, a donation like this isn’t just a new vehicle—it’s a lifeline.”

As for the team in Moab that started it all, Sheriff Wiggins views the national expansion of the program as a tribute to the hard work of his deputies and volunteers. The 2024 Bronco that first caught the eye of Ford employees remains a workhorse for the county, a symbol of a rare alignment between a multi-billion-dollar corporation and a small-town rescue squad. “It’s hard to describe how proud we feel to be the face of search and rescue utilizing a Bronco,” Wiggins says. “There’s definitely a need out there, and this will be big for a lot of teams.”

Ford has committed to completing the delivery of the first five vehicles by the end of 2026, with plans to evaluate the program for further expansion. As climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events and outdoor recreation numbers continue to climb, the synergy between advanced automotive engineering and emergency response will likely become a cornerstone of rural public safety. For now, the "Answer the Call" program stands as a testament to the power of a single viral moment—and the enduring legacy of those who risk everything to ensure that an adventure of a lifetime doesn’t become a tragedy of a lifetime.