ATVs on the Front Lines of Storm Recovery and Emergency Aid
When disaster strikes, it can be advantageous to have an all-terrain vehicle nearby, as paved roads can become blocked, quickly rendering most of our vehicular transportation useless. It only takes a quick search to find many stories of ATVs coming to the rescue, so we have gathered some of the best examples below.
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Polaris’ Contributions to Disaster Relief
Polaris has stepped in to help many times when it comes to disaster relief. In 2024, the company donated five new Ranger XD 1500s to aid Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee. Back in 2013, Polaris sent a pair of Ranger 800s to Team Rubicon in Washington, Illinois, to help with relief efforts after a tornado, each one fitted with a set of TerrainArmor non-pneumatic tires to handle the roughest conditions without fear of a flat.
In 2019, Polaris donated six Ranger side-by-sides to help with flood relief efforts in South Dakota and Nebraska after Winter Storm Ulmer. These are just a few examples of the many times Polaris has stepped up to make sure relief can reach people in remote areas.
“Working with Polaris during a disaster like Winter Storm Ulmer, which brought massive amounts of damage across the Midwest, has a great impact on the mission of Team Rubicon and the survivors that we are serving,” said Brian Meagher, Strategic Partnerships Officer at Team Rubicon. “The ability to come in as a force multiplier to assist Team Rubicon in helping more people is what it is all about.”
How ATVs Excel During Emergencies
Wondering how to use ATVs effectively during an emergency event? In almost every case, something stops regular road-going cars from operating—whether it’s snow, high water, mud, or ice—all of which an ATV is built to handle. With aggressive tires, high clearance, four-wheel drive, and high-mounted air intakes, an ATV or side-by-side is already designed to handle adverse conditions. And with heavy load-carrying capacities and most models featuring beds or storage racks, delivering essential goods on an ATV makes total sense.
Attachments and Accessories That Boost Capability
Attachments and accessories can make ATVs even better in times of need, with add-ons like lights, winches, modular rescue skids to carry people, communications devices, GPS, full cabs with HVAC, and even jump seats to accommodate more people inside. Most manufacturers offer pre-set packages on their ATVs and side-by-sides designed for disaster relief, although you can also outfit a machine with all these parts individually.
Real-World Examples of ATVs in Action
During the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, a local off-road shop, 3P Off-Road out of Tomball, Texas, jumped into action, using its all-terrain vehicles—including boats and an old military truck—to rescue people from flooded homes or deliver supplies to those in need. A documentary called “100 Boats: A Hurricane Harvey Documentary” has been released detailing the event.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021, Polaris sent both side-by-sides and generators to the Salvation Army to help with disaster relief, and they recounted exactly what these tools were used for. Alvin Migues, Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army in Texas, shared more information about the recovery efforts in a news release. “Setting up and getting any incident command post operational during a disaster is a logistical challenge at the best of times, never mind working without power,” he said.
“We are using the donated Polaris generators to power just about everything on site—from our command post, shower unit, bunkhouses, radios, and computers to our kitchen. Even the simplest of tasks would be significantly more difficult without power this week, and so we are very thankful for the gift of electricity and the generators from Polaris.”
In the case of Ida, many entire neighborhoods were cut off from the rest of the community, making ATVs an invaluable resource for getting to stranded people. “Our full-size mobile kitchens and even our Rapid Response Units can sometimes find it impossible to get into affected neighborhoods,” said Migues. “This is where the Polaris ATVs are beneficial. We can deliver food and water to individuals and families that otherwise would be cut off until roads are cleared, which can sometimes take several days.”
Beyond Traditional ATVs: Amphibious Vehicles
Fully amphibious all-terrain vehicles, like the SHERP, are also very effective in disaster situations, and the Sheriff’s Office in Hillsborough County, Florida, found out firsthand when they used one of these vehicles in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene for search and rescue, even reuniting an elderly woman with her family using the SHERP.
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Small-Scale Rescues
Clearly, ATVs are a huge help in large-scale disaster relief, but they can also save the day in small-scale operations. In September of 2025, a 19-year-old was injured while jumping in for a swim near Mowbray Mountain, Tennessee, and had to be taken out of the woods on a stretcher, which was then affixed to the back of a waiting side-by-side, helping first responders get there quickly and get the job done.
Barrett Baker