fiers are medical histories that include seizure disorders, unexplained black- outs, some stages of insulin-dependent diabetes and medications that may cause drowsiness. Still, Geraghty’s heart block- age went undetected, and the acuteness of Jensen’s attack could not be predicted. “If we could know when people are go-
ing to have heart attacks, we could save them,” says Vince Colaluca, superinten- dent of Austintown (Ohio) Schools. “Look at all the athletes who have died after passing physicals.” Last November, Austintown driver Jack
Cabot, 62, veered off the road with 51 stu- dents on board his bus while suffering a fatal heart attack. Tere were no serious injuries to the children. “He passed a physical not long before
his attack,” Colaluca said. “Our employees have access to a clinic on campus with a full time nurse practitioner. We’ve also in- vested in a defibrillator, but where (Cabot) was on the road, we couldn’t get to him.”
Dr. Edward Galaid, medical director
for Occupational Medicine Services at Northeast Georgia Health System, con- ducts medical certification examinations for bus drivers, truck drivers, firefighters, law enforcement officers and pilots. He said evaluations of persons operating ve- hicles that carry human cargo attempt to identify risk factors for an unpredictable and sudden incapacitation. “Te fact is the examinations as they are
currently configured have limitations to predict the risk for the future,” Galaid says. “Obtaining a thorough medical history, assessing height, weight, blood pressure and vision, and reviewing the medica- tion list are arguably the most important things we do in the course of evaluating driver fitness for duty.” Galaid said height and weight help de-
termine a person’s body mass index (BMI) which is the single most helpful factor in identifying persons at risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAH),
a condition that is getting increased atten- tion at the federal and state levels. OSAH is characterized by obstructions of the airway that result in un-refreshed sleep and exces- sive daytime sleepiness (EDS). “(Sleep apnea) can be treated but it
is an aspect of driver health that people don’t recognize very often,” Galaid says. “It affects drivers’ situational awareness. Tey may not fall asleep at the wheel, but they are not as alert as they should be.” Galaid’s observation is supported by
published statistics that indicate while OSAH is considered common, 80 percent of Americans with OSAH go undiagnosed. Harford’s Taibi says exceeding state re-
quirements has created a culture of health among his drivers. “I am very proud that our drivers are physically fit,” says Taibi, a former emergency medical technician. “We let our drivers know their physical conditioning is necessary to be successful at their jobs. We promote healthy habits all the way around.” ■
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ezonpro.com 50 School Transportation News Magazine May 2011
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