By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Training at Palliser schools to provide greater confidence for first responders during emergencies

Aug 28, 2018 | 9:29 AM

COALDALE – Sometimes surprises can’t be avoided, but they’re not something that first responders welcome.

It’s for that reason members of Coaldale and District Emergency Services were grateful for the opportunity provided by Palliser Regional Schools to familiarize themselves with emergency procedures surrounding school buses.

Fire Chief Kevin McKeown says luckily school bus incidents don’t happen very often.

“But that means you don’t get a whole lot of exposure to working with them,” he continued. “So, having that knowledge on hand, before you actually do respond, is a huge benefit.”

Coaldale emergency service staff and volunteers were originally invited to take advantage of training provided by Palliser to help them qualify to drive the various pieces of fire and medical equipment they may need to use. 

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Getting better acquainted with bus construction and safety features, however, was an added bonus that first responders say could prove invaluable.

“Knowing the location of the battery, exit points and the optimum place to cut into a school bus – should passengers need to be extricated – all provide first responders with greater comfort and confidence when rushing to a crash scene,” McKeown said. 

Responding to any motor vehicle collision is stressful, Deputy Chief Gary Gettman said, adding when a crew is dispatched to a crash involving a school bus full of children, their anxiety level is kicked up a notch.

“They’re young and they haven’t had an opportunity to live their life yet. I know for myself, once you have your own kids you always relate back to your own family.”

Coaldale and District Emergency Services and Palliser Regional Schools weren’t strangers prior to the recent training session according to a release.

Gettman says they work with Palliser staff and students during annual fire inspections and Fire Prevention Week activities. Every other year they also put on a mock motor vehicle collision in front of Kate Andrews High School to highlight the dangers of drinking and driving and distracted driving.

The latest opportunity for interaction between the two had an additional benefit.

“It’s nice to know the people and some of the contacts prior to an incident. At a time of an emergency, that’s not the time to be looking for phone numbers or contacts,” Gettman said.

Transportation Services Supervisor David Shaw says Palliser values its community partners and counts Coaldale and District Emergency Services among those supporters.

“We know they’re there should we need them, and they’ve done their training, which should be of benefit if there should be another bus incident,” Gettman added.

Dealing with a school bus crash offers its own set of challenges, mechanical issues aside.

If the incident happens within the Town of Coaldale limits or a good portion of Lethbridge County, McKeown and his crew are typically the agency in charge of the scene initially. 

They assess the situation, identify risks and hazards to victims and themselves, set up traffic control, perform extrication if necessary and assist with medical needs until an ambulance arrives.

Given their youth and the fact they may be experiencing a traumatic experience, McKeown says school bus passengers might be scared, frightened and excited all at the same time. 

Maintaining control over the scene in such circumstances can prove a test.

“And then there’s social media too,” Gettman says. “They’ll likely be letting their parents know right away, and then we’ll have an influx of parents there to pick up their kids. That can make it more difficult to control the scene as they could be blocking exit routes for ambulances and things like that.”

Too often members of Coaldale and District Emergency Services say they respond to motor vehicle collisions where the cause was either a driver in too much of a hurry or a distracted driver. 

Gettman says the results can be horrifying for those who are guilty of nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“If you are driving, pay attention to your surroundings. Drive for the road conditions, share the road with other drivers and don’t use cell phones while driving. Plan your destination and give yourself plenty of time to arrive on time and safely. Don’t be in a big hurry, slow down.”

Palliser Regional Schools’ annual “Think of Us on the Bus” safety campaign urges drivers to follow the rules of the road and pay proper attention to any students getting on or off the bus.

One particular concern for both Palliser and Emergency Services is the number of drivers who commit “fly-bys” in illegally passing school buses that have stopped and have their red lights flashing. 

This past school year saw 66 reported fly-bys, compared with 74 the previous school year.

While teachers officially returned to school Aug. 27, the first day of class in Palliser Regional School is set for Sept. 4.