saved a deer on the ice but sunk the amphib.

At least the pond was not deep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQNtH-dWzys

After looking around a bit the machine appears to be a Hydratrak.

Very little freeboard to start with
Deer-rescue response sinks in Roxbury pond

jerseybigfoot Great effort. The only thing between a super hero and a man with expensive toys is using them for the benefit of others.

I assist with a volunteer fire co in Franklin NJ and had a drill on Sunday and their Argo avenger 8x8 would never be used for a thin ice rescue. There are other textbook plans that work.The OEM in Roxbury probably wanted to go play.
On Sunday the fire co practiced ditch crossings, embankment transitions and some side hills which offers sufficient pucker factor. The worst places for amphibs is entering and exiting a body of water with no beach especially a frozen lake.
The big issue with most of amphibs equipped as emergency responders is the added weight (other than training). Personally i think they would be better served with multiple lighter machines than one big rig fully optioned out.

My hat is off to the rescuers anyhow you look at it. That crew still drove out on thin ice in an effort to rescue a deer, which had it worked would have been great training for saving a person(s) in a similar predicament. I hope the crew now realizes the limits of their equipment in certain circumstances, and learned some lessons that will contribute the next time the aatv is called out for action. Anyway you look at it, that amphib crew are all heroes.

Man, that was intense.

Would be a good application of dual tires

Thanks for sharing, like Mike said that was intense for sure