By PAUL HASENMEIER How do we prepare a community and ourselves for a school bus emergency? As emergency responders, we bring calm to chaos and always mitigate the challenges in front of us. Just like any preplanned structure or technical rescue that needs an action plan, a school bus emergency needs its own plan that must involve the cooperative efforts of fire, emergency medical services (EMS), police, school personnel, and public officials. You may think that getting all those people together in one room will be the challenge. It certainly will be, but we are a powerful force for public welfare, and resistance will be minimal once all recognize the importance of training and planning. Imagine arriving on-scene to find an overturned school bus with students trapped, injured, and screaming for help (photo 1). Whether you arrive on-scene in an ambulance or a fire engine, your first priorities will be…
