Originally published November 29, 2009. Updated with historical context and information about ASAP’s current rescue-vehicle lineup.
Reaching an injured person on a beach, narrow trail or crowded event site can be difficult for a conventional ambulance. In 2009, Alternative Support Apparatus developed the LifeGuard, a specialized beach patrol and rescue vehicle built around a modified Polaris RANGER 6×6 utility vehicle.
The LifeGuard combined the mobility and traction of a six-wheel-drive UTV with an extended aluminum rear compartment capable of carrying emergency equipment, attendants and either a full-size cot or Stokes rescue basket. It was designed for locations where a road-going EMS vehicle could not travel or maneuver effectively.
A Polaris RANGER Built for Beach and Trail Rescue
Alternative Support Apparatus, better known as ASAP, lengthened and modified the RANGER chassis to create more room behind the cab. The resulting open-air rear compartment included an aluminum tread-plate floor, overhead frame, UV-resistant canvas top and an 80-inch padded bench seat.
A hinged 84-inch aluminum storage box could incorporate a mounting system for a Stokes basket. Buyers could instead specify a cot-mounting arrangement, allowing the vehicle to transport an injured patient from a remote location to a conventional ambulance or treatment area.
The design was particularly well suited to beach rescue. Sand-oriented tires helped the vehicle travel over soft surfaces, while the RANGER’s relatively compact dimensions allowed responders to work around crowds, structures and narrow access routes that would restrict a full-size emergency vehicle.
Why the RANGER 6×6 Made Sense
The original LifeGuard was based on a 40-horsepower Polaris RANGER 6×6 platform capable of approximately 40 mph. Its six-wheel layout, on-demand drive system and substantial cargo capacity made it a practical foundation for carrying people and rescue equipment over uneven terrain.
Polaris built the RANGER 6×6 as a high-capacity work vehicle rather than a recreational sport machine. The additional driven axle provided more traction and helped distribute the vehicle’s load across six tires—useful characteristics when operating on sand or carrying a patient and attendant. Learn more about the platform in our archived overview of the Polaris RANGER 6×6.
2009 ASAP LifeGuard Standard Equipment
The specifications below describe the LifeGuard configuration announced in 2009 and should not be confused with ASAP’s current production vehicles.
- Modified Polaris RANGER 6×6 chassis
- 40-horsepower engine
- Top speed of approximately 40 mph
- On-demand six-wheel drive
- Independent suspension
- Roll bar and aluminum tread-plate roof
- Left- and right-side mirrors
- ABS body skirting
- Rear access step
- Aluminum tread-plate rear compartment
- UV-resistant canvas bimini top
- 80-inch padded bench seat and seatback
- Storage box with Stokes basket mount or cot-mounting system
- Equipment brackets and storage on both sides
- Tires selected for sand and off-road operation
- Black steel wheels
The cot itself was not included as standard equipment. Available equipment included a deep-cycle battery system, generator and run-flat tires, allowing departments or private operators to configure the vehicle for their particular response requirements.
Potential Uses Beyond the Beach
Although the LifeGuard name emphasized lifeguard and beach-rescue operations, the platform could be used anywhere a conventional ambulance was too large, heavy or restricted by terrain.
- Emergency response: Water rescue, trail rescue and remote patient evacuation
- Public events: Concerts, stadiums, racetracks, sporting events and college campuses
- Recreation: Beaches, parks, resorts, golf courses and bike trails
- Industrial sites: Factories, airports, shipyards and construction projects
- Military support: Training ranges, military police operations and casualty evacuation
The LifeGuard’s role was different from a slide-in rescue skid. ASAP modified and lengthened the vehicle to create an integrated specialty platform. By comparison, companies such as Kimtek developed removable EMS and firefighting units that could be installed in the cargo bed of a UTV. UTV Guide covered that approach in our article about the Kimtek MEDLITE and FIRELITE systems for the Polaris RANGER.
The LifeGuard Concept Continues Today
The specific RANGER-based vehicle shown here represents ASAP’s 2009 LifeGuard design, but the underlying idea did not disappear. ASAP remains in business and currently offers Trail Rescue and Lifeguard configurations within its Select Series of all-terrain UTV ambulances.
Modern Select Series vehicles continue to use a modified and extended UTV chassis. Depending on the configuration, the patient area can include a cot-mounting system or a storage box with a Stokes basket mount. ASAP distinguishes its Lifeguard models as versions intended specifically for travel through sand during beach-rescue operations.
Current specifications, chassis choices and available equipment may differ significantly from the 2009 vehicle. Agencies evaluating a modern rescue UTV can find current information on the ASAP Select Series website.
An Early Example of the UTV’s Expanding Role
The 2009 LifeGuard demonstrated how quickly utility side-by-sides were moving beyond farms, ranches and recreational trails. Their compact size, off-road traction and cargo capacity made them useful starting points for emergency-response equipment that could reach locations excluded to full-size ambulances.
Dedicated rescue UTVs are now familiar sights at beaches, parks, campuses, racetracks and large public events. The original ASAP LifeGuard captures an early stage of that development, when companies were beginning to turn work-focused machines such as the Polaris RANGER 6×6 into highly specialized public-safety vehicles.
Explore more utility vehicles and historical coverage in the UTV Guide Polaris section.
