Polaris donates Rangers, 50K to support Texas flood relief
In response to the recent flooding disaster in Texas, Polaris has donated four Ranger Crew XP 1000 NorthStar Edition UTVs to Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR), a disaster response organization. These vehicles will play a critical role in navigating tough terrain or hard-to-reach areas, enabling crews to better support those impacted.
In partnership with two dealers from Polaris’ dealer network, Family Powersports Austin and Hoffpauir Outdoors of Goldthwaite, the vehicles are being up-fitted with advanced rescue packages. This includes sideview mirrors, rescue skids and full-size front hood storage racks to more efficiently transport equipment, deliver supplies and execute clean-up tasks. These dealers and their teams helped ensure the vehicles were ready for deployment by the TEXSAR team.
“We are incredibly grateful to Polaris for its swift and generous donation,” says Justin McInnis, CEO and president of TEXSAR.
“To date, we’ve been relying on older off-road assets and personal vehicles and with this donation, we will be much more nimble in our efforts while greatly enhancing our ability to reach devastated areas and assist in relief efforts.”
Polaris says it is in the process of donating Ranger vehicles to A Doggie 4 You to support search-and-rescue efforts and cadaver dogs. The Ranger vehicles will help the dogs and their handlers navigate the devastated terrain more easily. Polaris is also working with Grooms Polaris, its dealer in Rocksprings, Texas, to get these vehicles to the team as quickly as possible.
In addition to the vehicle donations, Polaris also donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help accelerate critical response initiatives.
“The Red Cross helps people during some of life’s darkest moments, and we are proud to say that Polaris does too,” says Josett Valdez, vice president of fundraising for American Red Cross North Central Division. “This gift from Polaris helps enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters both large and small whenever and wherever they occur.”
Polaris joins other major OEMs such as Kubota and Honda, who also recently made significant donations to American Red Cross for Texas flood relief.
Polaris has a long history of supporting disaster response, including donating vehicles to the Salvation Army’s Rescue and Relief Fleet for more than a decade to aid in various recovery efforts. Earlier in July, the Salvation Army shared that its Polaris fleet is onsite in Texas and being used to support the communities devastated by the recent flooding.
