ARGO Assists in Tropical Storm Fay Clean-Up

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The ARGO was instrumental in helping the town of Melbourne clean up its flooded streets and rescue stranded residents after tropical storm Fay ravaged the northeastern Florida coast.

Chuck Beahan, the local ARGO dealer at Eau Gallie Marine received a call from the Seminole County Sheriffs Special Ops. who enquired as to whether there were any  vehicles that would work in a flooded type area that was full of low lying tree branches and floating obstacles. While clearly not the best environment for an outboard motor with a prop, Chuck proceeded to tell the officers the benefits of the ARGO. The Officers replied that they were very familiar with the ARGO and needed one right away. Two hours later Chuck arrived and put the famous amphibious vehicle to work.

With the assistance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Special Ops. Department quickly began to rescue stranded senior citizens who had been unable to evacuate from their homes. Once all the seniors had been accounted for the ARGO was used to collect floating debris and obstacles from the flooded city streets.

When the clean up operation had finally concluded Chuck decided to ask the Sheriff what he had thought about the ARGO’s performance as a disaster relief vehicle. “He told me that it was the machine that they needed. He said it went anywhere we needed it to go and I think that we’re going to have to regroup and figure out what kind to order,” said Chuck.

Local municipal officials and law enforcement officers take note: the ARGO can be counted on as an efficient and versatile disaster relief vehicle.