Manatee County launches high-water rescue vehicle, lifeguards trained for flood emergencies

BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. - The Manatee County Beach Patrol has deployed a specialized high-water rescue vehicle to assist local emergency response efforts during severe flooding events. This asset positions the county's lifeguards as some of the first lifeguard agencies in Florida certified to perform high-water and swiftwater rescues. 

Manatee County high-water rescue vehicle

The backstory:

Manatee County saw the necessity for its own high-water rescue vehicle even before the 2024 hurricane season. It has been less than two years since rising floodwaters trapped residents inside their homes, stretching from coastal beaches to inland neighborhoods.

The newly acquired rescue vehicle will be operated by the men and women of the county's beach patrol to navigate these hazardous conditions.

What they're saying:

Division Chief Chet Brown said that the high-water rescue vehicle can safely operate in up to 48 inches of floodwater. To prepare for deployments, lifeguards underwent rigorous training scenarios alongside the North River Fire District and West Manatee Fire Rescue to receive official certification.

The rescue vehicle required a county expenditure of about $236,000, which was covered by impact fees and grants. It features a specialized mechanical system designed to accommodate individuals with severe mobility constraints.

"The plan and goal of this thing is to get them on this and out of the danger zone as fast as possible," Brown said.

"We can get 25 to 30 people on this thing into a neighborhood and get them out a lot faster than bringing them back and forth with boats," Brown said.

"This is the liftgate, one of the unique features on this machine," Brown said. "It will go down to the ground, so if somebody is in a wheelchair or on a bed we can roll them up on this and the gate itself goes up," Brown said.

Rescue operations

By the numbers:

• $236,155: The cost to acquire the high-water rescue vehicle. Paid for by impact fees and grants.
• 48 inches: The maximum depth of floodwater the vehicle can safely navigate.
• 25 to 30: The number of individuals the vehicle can transport out of a neighborhood at one time.

Interagency safety partnerships

Big picture view:

Manatee County said the new deployment marks a milestone for regional disaster response.

"It’s been a great partnership. We are glad that they are willing to work with us," Brown said. "We are continuing to work together to come up with more ideas on how we can, our lifeguards can help in emergency situations to allow those agencies to do the other things that they do and pass some of this stuff off to us," Brown said.