Every year, we see at least one news story from somewhere in the nation where students or a teacher have to respond to an emergency situation on a school bus. If there is ever an emergency involving a Mission CISD bus, hopefully our students will know what to do. Each year, Mission CISD school bus drivers conduct special trainings at our schools for students and staff.
The drivers make sure students know the rules for bus safety and behavior, and some very important items that they may have to deal with in special cases. Those include: what to do if the driver becomes incapacitated, how to operate the emergency brake, how to use the fire extinguisher, the first aid kits, how to use all the exits on a school bus (main door, windows, windshield, roof hatches, and rear door).
Did you know there is a certain way students and staff should exit out of the rear emergency doors? Passengers should not just jump out. That leads to injuries. Students are shown how to sit down on the floor at the rear doorway and have two other students help them slide off the end of the bus doorway, feet first. They should then move away from the bus to a safe spot at the side of the roadway. Certain grade levels are targeted to practice the rear exit so they can help guide the younger students should there be a need to evacuate a bus.
The bus safety training has been completed at most elementary schools. Other schools are being scheduled.
Pictured are students at Leal Elementary School practicing how to use the rear emergency exit on a school bus.