Student Management and Emergency Evacuation
Student Management and Emergency Evacuation
This domain tests your authority on the bus and your ability to empty it safely when something goes wrong. You are responsible for order from the first boarding to the last student off.
Managing the bus
- Students sit facing forward, feet on the floor, and stay seated while the bus is moving.
- The aisle stays clear at all times; nothing blocks an emergency exit.
- Harassment and bullying that occur on the bus are reportable to the school, and the bus is treated as part of the school day.
- If a student becomes a danger, do not keep driving while you deal with it. Pull into a safe spot off the roadway, secure the bus, and use the radio to request help.
- Never leave students unattended on the bus except in an emergency, and then only after securing the bus and calling for assistance.
Evacuation decisions
The trigger is fire, a crash, a fuel or hazardous-material leak, or a bus that is unsafe to occupy. An engine fire means get everyone out the front door immediately. A fire in the rear means move students forward and out the front, using side windows or the rear door only if the front is blocked. A bus resting on its side uses roof hatches.
Sequence: stop, parking brake set, engine off, keys out, hazards on, radio the dispatch. Take the extinguisher, first aid kit, and radio. Send students to a safe spot at least 100 feet from the bus, upwind of any fire, and off the roadway. Count them, and keep counting until the count is stable.
Worked example
Smoke comes from the dash. The driver stops, sets the brake, shuts off the engine, hits the hazards, radios, then sends a responsible older student ahead to lead the group to a spot 100 feet upwind on the shoulder while the driver supervises the door and counts heads as they exit.
Traps
Evacuating into traffic; fighting a large fire instead of emptying the bus; letting students return for belongings; losing the count.