An ambulance pulls into a Buncombe County Schools fueling station near Asheville, North Carolina, which was hit especially hard by Hurricane Helene.
“We work with some county partners and did a
relief fund for school district employees where they could do a survey as to what their needs were and get monetary assistance,” said Warrington. “The community really pulled together to support one another.” Warrington is the president-elect of the Flori-
da Association of Pupil Transportation and said current president Dennis Grey reached out to all school district transportation directors to see if anyone needed help. “We all have yellow blood in us,” Warrington said. “The point for the networking is that districts have resources and others in other districts to lean on in time of need as well as a time of peace.” In terms of lessons learned and advice for others,
Warrington noted: “Have a plan and make sure that all those involved in executing that plan under- stand the plan. You can’t do that in the 11th hour as the storm is bearing down on you. That doesn’t work from a transportation standpoint. We fuel all of our buses ahead of time because we don’t know when we’re going to be able to pump fuel again. He also shared that Manatee County Schools has
contracts written with fuel companies that ensure the district gets priority prior to a storm making landfall. “They fill all of our tanks because we know that we’re going to have to support fire rescue and law enforce- ment and EMS if their pumps are down and don’t have electricity,” Warrington added. He said the district’s mission is to get schools open and back in session as quickly as possible. “It’s about thinking ahead, preparing for the worst but
hoping for the best,” he said. Meanwhile, Stowe’s advice to other transportation directors facing a similar challenge is to be aware of
44 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2025
Buncombe County Schools transportation employees fill fuel cans for use in the community.
weather reports, as condition can quickly change. “Watching emergency management work in some
pretty dire straits, if you have a skill set as a transporta- tion office and can fill a need, don’t be hesitant to step up to provide that need,” he adds. In one instance, Stowe’s team filled 250 gas cans
parachuted in by the U.S. Air Force to people who were stranded. “By knowing your world, your skill set and your
willingness to help out, you can be part of that greater change. That change can have a positive effect going through a big event like this,” said Stowe. “I’m thankful to have the opportunity to do this work and be part of the solution.” ●
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS)
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