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The Top twenty-five Action Items identify the most important elements that school bus operations can incorporate into their security plans. Program staff can use this tip sheet when developing plans for emergency preparedness, as it relates to transporting young children. These items are based on effective school practices identified by a variety of sources, including the U. S. Department of Education, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
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Top 25 Security Program Action Items: School Bus Operations
Management
- Develop a written security program and
emergency management plans in conjunction with school
administrators, law enforcement, fire department, EMS, and
emergency preparedness agency. The plan should address traditional
crises such as fires, weather emergencies, serious accidents, and
school evacuations as well as terrorist activities.
- Review and modify emergency plans as
necessary in light of increased threat levels from the Department
of Homeland Security.
- Develop a command structure for
responding to a crisis. Know the roles and responsibilities of
first responders, and determine the chain of command within your
organization. Verify 24/7 contact information.
- Identify multiple evacuation routes from
schools and bus facilities; identify alternatives for regular
routes that use key infrastructures, such as major bridges or
tunnels, in time of increased or targeted security alerts.
- Coordinate and stage a practice drill of
emergency plans with local security partners above.
- Develop a communications plan for getting
information to schools, parents, law enforcement. Appoint a single
person to communicate with the media and the community.
- Ensure that updated route sheets and
passenger lists are readily available for all buses and all
schools.
- Prohibit unauthorized persons from entering buses; establish authorization standards and procedures.
Facilities
- Conduct a risk assessment of facilities,
including bus yards, garages, dispatch locations, driver areas.
Conduct a risk assessment of all routes and bus stops for security
as well as safety, noting for example stops that are obscured by
overgrowth of bushes where persons could hide
- Control access to bus parking areas, if
possible. Restrict entry to one gate.
- Install fencing, lights, locking gates,
video surveillance, or other security measures as needed.
- Arrange with local police to include your
facility in their regular patrols.
- Reduce your tolerance for "security anomalies," such as overdue or missing vehicles, intrusions into the bus yard, unverified visitors, etc.
Equipment
- Maintain a security system for bus keys.
- Equip all buses with two-way
communication.
- Establish an "external trouble indicator"
that drivers can use to alert law enforcement, such as all lights
flashing. Be sure to discuss with law enforcement.
- Install video surveillance, GPS, door locks, other equipment as needed and permitted by state law. Train employees in proper use.
Personnel
- Provide IDs for all drivers (preferably
photo ID).
- Conduct background checks on employees if
not provided by the state.
- Advise employees to report suspicious
incidents or persons at the bus facility or on route.
- Provide security training for drivers and
other employees.
- Establish crisis codes that drivers can
use to alert dispatch that they are in trouble.
- Train drivers never to leave buses
running, but to turn off the engine and take the keys when leaving
the bus at any location.
- Advise drivers to check buses for foreign
objects inside and outside anytime a bus has been unattended, such
as, at an activity trip destination.
- Establish a method of position reporting as needed during high alerts.
© National School Transportation Association, July 2003
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Top 25 Security Program Action Items: School Bus Operations. National School Transportation Association (NSTA). 2003. English.
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