Countywide training session held for area school bus drivers
A countywide training session for area school bus drivers was conducted Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the Highland County Fairgrounds.
School bus drivers and transportation officials from all five public school districts in Highland County, plus Hills and Dales and Highland County Community Action, Inc., and East Clinton Schools participated in the training.
The event is co-sponsored by the Highland County Emergency Management Agency and the districts.
Hillsboro City Schools Transportation Supervisor Ron Ward said 197 area bus drivers registered for the training session.
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"This is the first such countywide training session for our drivers," Ward said. "From law enforcement, this was something we often did as far as a joint training exercise," the former Highland County sheriff said.
Several bus drivers said they used to have to go to Georgetown for similar training requirements and appreciated the opportunity to attend locally.
Ward said each driver who completed the day's session would receive four hours of mandatory educational training.
Drivers received hands-on training in the proper use of fire extinguishers, roadside flares and emergency warning triangles. In addition, there will be instructions on pre-trip safety inspections and how to safely exit a bus in the event of an accident.
One school bus was filled with smoke and drivers had to walk through the bus, checking each seat and the floor space for passenger safety. Another bus was overturned and used as evacuation training.
Bradley George, chief of the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District, and Lynchburg Area Joint Fire and Ambulance District Chief Dave Manning led different emergency safety training sessions.
Ward said much of the day's session covered required fields of training for Ohio bus drivers.
Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Jim Smith and Ward also discussed whether this would be considered as a possible annual event.
"We're talking about that and what we might think about is doing it every other year," Ward said.