How an Instagram Video Sparked Ford’s Biggest Search and Rescue Partnership

It started with a scroll through Instagram. In the summer of 2025, Ford employees spotted a video of a Bronco Badlands tearing across Utah’s desert terrain on its way to save someone’s life. That clip caught the attention of Ford CEO Jim Farley, and what followed may be the best thing the Bronco brand has done since its 2021 comeback.

• Ford reached out to NASAR and offered five brand-new Broncos, fully equipped for backcountry search and rescue, at no cost and with no strings attached.
• The program will donate five Bronco Badlands models with the Sasquatch Package to search and rescue organizations in 2026, with Kern County, California, and Teton County, Wyoming, already confirmed.
• Volunteer search and rescue teams respond to roughly 50,000 wilderness emergencies each year in the U.S. and often work without federal funding and with limited resources.

A Utah Rescue Team That Caught a CEO’s Eye

Ford employees were scrolling through Instagram when they noticed a 2024 Ford Bronco Badlands zipping through rugged desert terrain on the way to save someone’s life. The vehicle belonged to the search and rescue team of Grand County, a massive stretch of redrock desert that includes Moab, Green River, and countless remote canyons. The county has one of the busiest search and rescue departments in the nation.

Ford CEO Jim Farley visited Utah and observed Grand County Search and Rescue using a Bronco to get through difficult terrain during active rescue operations. He also rode along with GCSAR Sergeant Bradley Hines and saw the vehicle rock-crawl, dart through washes, and power over loose sand at speed.

Grand County covers 3,000 square miles, much of it cut through with canyons and desert slickrock. The terrain draws climbers, base jumpers, mountain bikers, skiers, and just about every type of outdoor thrill-seeker you can think of. In 2025 alone, GCSAR conducted 143 rescue operations across some of the most punishing terrain on the planet.

The “Answer the Call” Program Takes Shape

That trip sparked a conversation back in Dearborn: how could Ford get Bronco capability to even more search and rescue teams? The answer is a new collaboration between the Bronco Wild Fund and the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), called Bronco “Answer the Call.”

The program aims to close the resource gap for volunteer rescue teams by donating upfitted Ford Bronco SUVs. The donated vehicles are Bronco Badlands models equipped with the Sasquatch Package, built to handle everything from high-altitude peaks to dense, mud-covered forests.

Ford partnered with defense and rescue equipment provider W.S. Darley & Co. and emergency vehicle upfitter Public Safety Direct. Together, they added upgrades including satellite internet connectivity, integrated drone technology, lighting arrays, winches, and recovery systems. Each vehicle rolls off the line ready to save lives.

NASAR has been around since 1973, and this marks the biggest partnership in the organization’s history. Through the program, Ford interviews each qualifying team and customizes a Bronco Badlands Sasquatch model for their specific needs.

Where These Broncos Are Headed

Ford and the Bronco Wild Fund have committed to donating five vehicles total. Kern County Fire & Rescue in California and Teton County Search & Rescue in Wyoming have already been confirmed for the first two donations, with the remaining three still to be determined. From January through April 30, 2026, search and rescue organizations can visit NASAR.org to apply for the grant program.

Volunteer search and rescue teams handle roughly 50,000 wilderness emergencies in the United States each year. These teams operate without federal funding and often rely on outdated equipment and limited budgets. That’s a staggering number of emergencies being handled on a shoestring.

Ford has also expanded its support through The Dyrt, which is hosting a donation campaign to benefit NASAR. All donations go directly to the organization, supporting training, certification courses, and ongoing volunteer education. Ford has pledged to match up to $50,000 in donations made to NASAR through the campaign.

Why the Bronco Works for Rescue Missions

The Broncos being donated are the same vehicles consumers can buy. While the rescue units get specialized equipment, the platform, drivetrain, suspension, and four-wheel-drive systems remain unchanged. That’s real-world proof of the Bronco’s engineering, showing it can take sustained abuse in conditions far tougher than daily driving.

If you’ve ever searched for used SUVs for sale near me and wondered which models can actually handle serious off-road conditions, the Bronco’s rescue track record says a lot about what this platform can do day in and day out.

The Bronco Wild Fund provided $2.2 million in support of outdoor access, preservation, and stewardship in 2024. With matched and unlocked funds, the total reached $4.1 million, supporting over 174 projects across 43 states and Washington, D.C., reaching more than 284,000 people.

A Good Look at What “Built Tough” Actually Means

This whole program started because of a social media video and a CEO who paid attention. Grand County Sheriff Wiggins is grateful that his Bronco and his hard-working team could be the inspiration for all this. For the volunteer crews running rescue operations in remote canyons, snowy peaks, and dense forests, a purpose-built Bronco rolling off the truck ready to go could change everything about how fast they reach someone in trouble. And for Ford, it’s a chance to prove that the Bronco belongs where the road ends and the real work begins.