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carpeted floor mats have been replaced by rubber ones.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.