Manatee Sheriff Showcases Amphibious Rescue Vehicle at County Fair
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office showcased an amphibious rescue vehicle designed for extreme terrain and disaster response at the Manatee County Fair, giving residents a close look at specialized equipment used during emergencies.
The vehicle on display was a FAT TRUCK, an all-terrain, amphibious transport vehicle built for use in hurricanes, floods, and high-water rescue operations. Outfitted for law-enforcement and emergency response, the vehicle is capable of traveling over flooded roadways, debris, mud, sand, and shallow water where traditional vehicles cannot operate.
According to information provided at the exhibit, the FAT TRUCK is powered by a Caterpillar C2.2 turbo diesel, four-cylinder engine producing 67 horsepower at 2,800 RPM. The vehicle measures approximately 9 feet 3 inches tall, 8 feet 4 inches wide, and 13 feet long, with an unloaded weight of about 5,440 pounds. It has a payload capacity of 2,200 pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,000 pounds.
The vehicle can carry up to eight passengers, with two seats in the front and six in the rear, making it suitable for evacuations and rescue missions. It has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and includes a roof rack rated for 300 pounds. On land, the FAT TRUCK can reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour, while in water it can travel at approximately 3.1 miles per hour.
Additional features include joystick steering, a zero-degree turning radius, a microprocessor-controlled system, hydrostatic transmission, and oversized low-ground-pressure tires designed to minimize impact while maintaining traction in unstable conditions. The vehicle also has an 18.5-gallon fuel capacity.
FAT TRUCK vehicles are manufactured by Zeal Motor and are used by emergency responders, military units, and search-and-rescue teams worldwide. Their amphibious design allows them to operate in areas inaccessible to boats or high-clearance trucks alone.
For the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle represents an important asset during severe weather events and large-scale emergencies, particularly in a coastal county vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding. The display at the fair offered the public insight into how deputies prepare for disaster response and protect residents during extreme conditions.
Pretty cool seeing the technical specs on the FAT TRUCK. The Caterpillar C2.2 diesel is a solid choice for reliability in high stress rescue situatons. Grew up in a coastal town and remember when a hurricane hit, the regular trucks were useless. Having something that can do 25mph on land and still operate in water makes a ton of practical sense for Florida weather. Smart investment by the sheriffs office.