Four-wheelers are known for their speed, agility, ability to cover difficult terrain, and maneuverability around obstacles that just can’t be done with a larger vehicle. For these reasons, they’re also reliable for emergency response services in the aftermath of hurricanes, wildfires, floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. To see how all-terrain vehicles make a difference during a crisis, ATV Trader is taking a closer look at the top ways ATVs and UTVs help with storm response.

Natural Disaster Response and Recovery

At any time of year, in any region of the country, a storm can strike and cause serious damage to communities, cities, and natural areas. The consequences can be catastrophic, whether it’s structural damage to buildings and bridges; downed power lines, streetlights and trees; or a pile-up of totaled vehicles on public roads. ATVs and UTVs can be used to assist with natural disaster response and recovery right away. 

Fit your four-wheeler with a winch and attachments and you can remove trees and other debris. Firefighters can put out smaller fires with vehicles equipped with skid units, water tanks, and pressurized hoses. If you know the ways ATVs and UTVs are used for work in winter, put tire chains on your quad and a snow plow attachment to clear land after a blizzard. You can also use the bed of your vehicle on your side-by-side to move supplies like sanitized water, food, and electricity generators.

Emergency Medical Response

Every second counts when dealing with emergency medical response after a storm has done its damage. For immediate care, first responders such as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) can use all-terrain vehicles in certain scenarios to navigate through natural disaster locations to help those that are injured and in need of immediate medical attention. Among the many ways ATVs and UTVs are used for emergency response services, ATVs and UTVs can help carry first-aid kits, oxygen tanks, cardiac monitors, tourniquets, stretchers, bed mounts, or a Stokes basket. It can also be a better means of providing fast medical attention when the terrain is too difficult for a larger vehicle. Side-by-sides can be used to transport those suffering from injuries and transfer them to an ambulance or helicopter to receive immediate medical care at a hospital.

Search and Rescue

An ATV or UTV can be a faster way to look for those that may be stranded during a search and rescue mission after a storm has passed. Whether it’s an EMT squad, police force, or park rangers on the job, these all-terrain support vehicles can sometimes surpass the effectiveness of other emergency vehicles in certain scenarios. For example, an ATV can handle heavily forested areas and will have more traction with hills, rocky mountains, rocks, large sand dunes, and thick mud than a large ambulance that might need to stick to the road. In the wake of a storm where there are downed trees, power lines, and other dangerous debris blocking the way, your four-wheeler can get to those hard-to-reach destinations. You might even have greater visibility in woodlands than a helicopter flying above. And you’ll certainly cover more ground and go faster than you would on foot. 

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Emergency responders save countless lives and help with recovery when a storm has done its worst. While ATVs are designed for play and work, they continue to make an impact when a natural disaster strikes.