Parkland Ambulance transformed a 2008 Polaris RANGER XP 700 into a year-round mobile response unit capable of carrying paramedics and emergency equipment into locations that conventional ambulances could not easily reach.
Parkland Ambulance Care acquired the RANGER with the help of sponsors during the spring of 2008. The organization initially used it during busy public events and to send medical assistance into areas that were difficult to access with a road-going emergency vehicle.
Before winter arrived in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the RANGER underwent a more extensive conversion. A heated cab, enclosed rear equipment compartment and Polaris Prospector II track system turned the utility vehicle into a compact winter-response machine.
A Polaris RANGER Built for EMS Response
The Parkland vehicle was based on a 2008 Polaris RANGER XP 700 rather than the six-wheel RANGER platform used by many contemporary fire and rescue departments. Its four-wheel-drive chassis was more compact, while its 1,000-pound cargo-box rating provided useful capacity for medical and emergency equipment.
A custom rear deck provided equipment storage, while a fabricated enclosure helped protect medical supplies from weather and contamination. Emergency lighting identified the RANGER as a response vehicle when operating around public events or active incidents.
Parkland Ambulance RANGER Modifications
Parkland’s conversion included:
- Custom rear deck with integrated storage
- Enclosed medical-equipment compartment
- Pure Polaris cab enclosure with windows
- Cab heater for cold-weather response
- Pure Polaris winch
- Polaris Prospector II track system
- Emergency warning lights
Prospector II Tracks Added Winter Mobility
The most significant winter upgrade was the Polaris Prospector II track system. Replacing the conventional wheels with four individual track assemblies distributed the vehicle’s weight over a larger contact area and improved its ability to travel through deep snow.
The track system also increased rolling resistance and changed the vehicle’s effective gearing, steering effort, width and operating speed. For an EMS unit intended to cover relatively short distances through snow, those compromises were outweighed by the ability to reach patients when wheeled vehicles might become stuck.
Heated Cab Protected the Crew
A cab enclosure with windows helped protect the driver and accompanying paramedic from wind and blowing snow. Parkland also added heat, an especially valuable modification for a medical-response vehicle operating during a Saskatchewan winter.
The enclosure did more than improve comfort. Reducing the crew’s exposure to extreme cold helped them arrive ready to work, while the protected rear compartment kept medical equipment out of snow and road spray.
Polaris Prospector II Track System
Track systems can greatly increase a UTV’s winter capability, but they also place additional loads on steering, suspension and driveline components. Vehicle speed must be managed appropriately, and operators should follow the track manufacturer’s installation, maintenance and use instructions.
2008 Polaris RANGER XP 700 Specifications
The following figures describe the stock wheeled RANGER XP 700 before the Parkland equipment and track system were installed. The completed response vehicle’s weight, dimensions and performance would have differed.
| Engine | 683cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke parallel twin |
|---|---|
| Claimed output | 40 hp |
| Fuel system | Electronic fuel injection |
| Transmission | Automatic Polaris Variable Transmission |
| Drive system | Switch-engaged On-Demand four-wheel drive |
| Front suspension | MacPherson strut with 8 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Independent suspension with 9 inches of travel |
| Ground clearance | 11 inches in stock wheeled configuration |
| Wheelbase | 76 inches |
| Stock dimensions | 113 × 60 × 75 inches |
| Dry weight | 1,185 pounds |
| Cargo-box capacity | 1,000 pounds |
| Vehicle payload capacity | 1,500 pounds |
| Hitch towing capacity | 1,500 pounds |
| Fuel capacity | 9 gallons |
The original page incorrectly described the 683cc engine as a single-cylinder design. The 2008 RANGER XP 700 used a liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine.
More Parkland Ambulance RANGER Photos
A Different Approach to the Rescue UTV
Many early fire and rescue organizations selected the longer Polaris RANGER 6×6 because it offered an expansive rear platform for water tanks, pumps and patient carriers. Parkland Ambulance followed a different path by combining the more compact four-wheel RANGER XP with enclosed storage, a heated cab and interchangeable tires and tracks.
That made this build particularly well suited to Saskatchewan’s changing seasons. It could serve at crowded summer events on tires and then transition into a tracked response vehicle for winter emergencies.
Compare Parkland’s four-wheel-drive build with the department vehicles featured in our Polaris RANGER 6×6 fire, EMS and rescue build collection. More information about the platform’s development is available in our history of the Polaris RANGER.
Parkland Ambulance Care continues to provide out-of-hospital emergency care in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Visit the Parkland Ambulance Care website for current information about the organization.
