Passenger Safety and Emergency Procedures
Emergency readiness is a tested passenger-endorsement topic. You must know where every emergency exit is (side windows, rear door, roof hatches), how each opens, and how to direct an evacuation. In a fire, the priority order is: stop the vehicle in a safe place away from traffic and structures, shut off the engine, get passengers off and well away from the bus (fire can spread and fuel can ignite), then call for help. Evacuate upwind and uphill from a fuel or hazardous spill.
Know when to evacuate versus when to keep passengers aboard. Evacuate for fire, hazardous materials release, or a vehicle in an unsafe position (such as on railroad tracks or in the path of traffic). Keep passengers seated with seat belts on if the bus is in a safe location and waiting for help is safer than exposing them to traffic.
Traps: questions that suggest opening the hood to fight an engine fire (no-get people away and let professionals handle it), forgetting to account for all passengers after evacuation, and using exits that are blocked or on the traffic side when a safer exit exists. Also know how to use the fire extinguisher (PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) and that you should assist passengers with disabilities first without blocking the exit.
Rule of thumb: life safety first, then the call for help, then property. Worked example: smoke appears from the engine compartment. Stop clear of traffic, shut down, evacuate everyone to a safe distance upwind, account for all riders, then call 911-do not open the hood.