Te communication options NAPT attendees watch a live


demonstration in November on how law


enforcement may respond to certain security- related


incidents on the school bus.


offered by Zonar and other providers of GPS and telematics can alleviate tense situations with accurate data and two-way messaging, and action- able real-time data enables a better safety environment for drivers. “Clear communication based on accurate data made available over a tablet device is much less prone to misunderstanding than a radio mes- sage,” said Mest, adding that having all the information “gives drivers a sense of safety and security that they have information at hand and are not left wondering.” Yet, technology is not a blanket solution. Transportation depart- ments need to have a proper action plan in place in case situations esca- late, such as a hostage crisis. Usually this involves coordinating with local law enforcement, who may or may not have a tactical response team to handle threats on a school bus. In November, at its summit in Kansas City, Missouri, the NAPT, in conjunction with the Transpor- tation Security Agency and area law enforcement, demonstrated how tactical response teams re- spond to high-risk situations that are deemed beyond the capabili- ties of ordinary police. Attendees were invited to a school outside of Kansas City in Lee’s Summit and watched as these teams neutralized threats on a crowded school bus with speed and precision to save the children on board.


demonstration showed her the im- portance of knowing what to expect when the unexpected happens, and if a similar event like the ones shown does occur, she understands just “how confusing things will get.” Heather Handschin, a coordi-


nator Spotsylvania County Public Schools in northern Virginia, added that the demonstration revealed “how much coordination goes into an emergency event, how important it is to have good communication between organizations and having a plan ahead of time.” Te ability to utilize a tactical


response team should an option for school districts, since a situation on a school bus may escalate and there’s a need to defuse it before it becomes violent. “We work alongside our law


enforcement and they help us in any way possible to keep our drivers and students safe,” said Ginger Moor- head, a driver and trainer for Lee’s Summit transportation department. “We keep our drivers up to date on all protocols.” Education also must play a


School bus driver Anne Zito, who


works for the Minisink Valley Cen- tral School District in the southern part of New York state, said the


role in the security of the school bus and its passengers. Stephen Satterly, director of transportation at Community School Cooperation of Southern Hancock County, said that his district’s security protocols are “risk driven.” “We do an annual risk assessment, which includes the impact of those risks,” he said. “We then prioritize them, and then make sure our plans address our highest priorities.” Located outside of Indianapolis, CSC transports students in kinder- garten to high school at five different locations around New Palestine, Indiana. Satterly, who is also the sole proprietor at School Safety Shield, a company that provides school safety services, said that CSC formulates its security protocol through experience and research. “My experiences as an infantry platoon sergeant, school administra- tor and school safety specialist have


shown me what works and what doesn’t, in responding to dangerous situations,” he added. “As an emer- gency management professional, I also rely on data to help drive my planning and decision-making. We identify risks, prioritize them, then address them in our planning.” Satterly, who is also a consultant for security firm Safe Havens Inter- national, added that because most transportation departments have limited resources, focus should be restricted to those high-priority risks that are most likely to happen. While the discussion can center


on active shooter and hostage situ- ations, at CSC, Satterly said, “We spend much more time planning and preparing for bus fires, accidents and man-made incidents, like fights and bullying.” Still, no matter the degree of a


hazardous situation, Satterly empha- sized the importance of preparation in handling them so that everyone walks away in good condition. “I teach people to use the


Window of Life as a guideline for decisions in the first few seconds of a crisis,” he said. “Te Window of Life has four steps: protect yourself; protect others; protect your bus; notify public safety.” Satterly detailed each step in the


Window of Life, equating the first one to the safety measures aboard an airplane: Put your mask on before trying to help others, since the driver is often the only adult on the bus, thus they are the primary caregiver for all the children. Sac- rificing oneself leaves the children without direction.”


Tis extends to calling 911, which should be done by the dispatcher or director, because “if a driver calls 911, they will be giving the 911 dispatcher information when they should be monitoring and caring for their children, which often involves them getting away from their radio,” Satterly said. Protecting others usually in-


volves an evacuation of some type www.stnonline.com 25


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