Ford Escape Hybrid Applies for Lifeguard Duty

From taxi cabs to patrol vehicles, and even doing duty as a research

and

development vehicle for plug-in hybrids, Ford's Escape Hybrid has

filled just about every role imaginable - or so we thought. Now, the

world's greenest sport utility vehicle has a new job at the beach,

helping Los Angeles County's Ocean Lifeguards.

The

basic premise behind purchasing a fleet of 45 Escape Hybrids was to

reduce the lifeguard fleet's carbon footprint without losing the

capabilities of their current vehicles - compact pickup trucks.

"We

are the largest lifeguard organization in the world, and we have always

blazed the trail for the profession," said Mike Frazer, chief,

Lifeguard Services, Los Angeles County Fire Department. "We wanted to

be the first public safety agency in the country to go green."

The

little SUVs, which have been painted in the lifeguard yellow and black

color scheme, are essentially stock, but have been modified in a couple

of ways to enhance their practicality. Overhead, each vehicle features

a special roof rack that holds flutter boards and floats, while the

carpeted floor mats have been replaced by rubber ones. The center

console has been gutted, and retrofitted with the necessary radios,

while the “60” portion of the 60/40 split folding rear seat has been

removed and replaced with an aluminum storage bin that's specially

geared for carrying oxygen tanks, defibrillators, trauma kits and other

safety kit.

During testing, the

lifeguards found the Hybrid to be surprisingly capable and stable while

navigating sand, while the cabin offers improved visibility over their

current pickups - useful for spotting those in distress.

Too bad Baywatch still isn't being filmed, as these Escapes would look spiffy on camera.