Rule 3301-83-15 | Emergency and evacuation procedures.
(A) Emergency procedure -
Each school bus owner shall adopt a policy for handling emergencies on school buses while pupils are being transported. Such a policy shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, procedures for handling any medical emergencies of pupils while they are being transported. Each school bus owner shall provide training to all school bus drivers transporting pupils to ensure that the drivers understand the policy and their responsibilities. No school bus driver shall transport pupils unless the driver has received such training.
These policies shall include procedures for when and how to notify parents if their students were on a transportation vehicle involved in an accident.
This policy shall be developed in cooperation with all those whose services would be required in the event of emergencies. The transportation director/supervisor, school administrators, teachers, drivers, maintenance and service personnel and students shall be provided instruction in the procedures to be followed in the event of:
(1) Accident procedure -
The policy shall describe how to protect the accident scene; evacuate and control students; evaluate the need for medical assistance; notify the responsible law enforcement agency, school officials and emergency services; collect and record data essential to the preparation of required reports; and communicate with parents and/or guardians.
(2) Disability of driver procedure-
The policy shall describe situations in the event of illness, injury, or disability of the vehicle driver.
(3) School vehicle failure procedure -
The policy shall describe procedures for securing the vehicle, disposing of and controlling passengers, notifying school officials, securing alternate equipment, and repairing and recovering the disabled school vehicle.
(4) Inclement weather conditions procedure -
The pre-emergency policy shall provide instruction as to school closings, delayed take-ups and/or early dismissals.
(5) Tornado procedure -
The policy shall provide procedures for drivers and students in the event of tornado sightings and/or warnings.
(6) Policies shall also be developed to address other dangerous and/or threatening situations (weapons, assaults, unauthorized attempted boardings, and impeding the movement of the school vehicle).
(B) Evacuation procedure -
The superintendent or designee shall organize and conduct three emergency exit drills for all students who ride school buses to and from school.
(1) Each of the following emergency procedures shall be conducted at least once annually:
(a) Everyone exists through the front entrance door;
(b) Everyone exists through the rear emergency door; and
(c) Front half exits through the front door and rear half exits through the rear door.
(2) The transportation director/supervisor in cooperation with building principals shall arrange and schedule all drills. The drills shall be supervised by at least one staff person other than the driver assigned to the route.
(3) Drills shall be held on school property when possible and not on the bus route.
(4) The driver shall remain in the bus during evacuation drills. The parking brake must be set, ignition turned off and transmission in gear or park.
(5) Children shall not take lunch boxes, books, etc., when they leave the bus.
(6) Pupils shall assemble at a distance of at least one hundred feet from the bus during an "emergency drill" and remain there until given further directions.
(7) Emergency evacuation drills of preschool and special needs children may require modification of the procedures listed in paragraph (B) of this rule.
Supplemental Information