Q: Do Bay Area school bus companies train their drivers in what to do in case of natural disasters?

A:Yes, they do. In Coos Bay and North Bend, school districts bus drivers attend monthly and biannual trainings. The monthly trainings include procedures to follow in case of natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis, and terrorist acts and hijackings.

Twice a year, the Mid Columbia Bus Company, the company that hires and trains bus drivers for the North Bend School District; and First Student, which does the training and hiring for the Coos Bay School District, hold on-bus drills with the students. The first drill is held at the schools in September and includes all students, whether they ride the bus on a daily basis or not. Even non-daily riders are included for the times when the students go on  school trips, so they’ll know what to do if an emergency occurs. The second drill is held during routes in the second semester and involves the students who regularly ride the bus. The drills cover emergency evacuation and what to do in case of an emergency.

All the bus drivers have two-way radios that allow them to talk with the bus barn dispatchers.

The North Bend drivers have three designated safe areas to go to in case of a natural disaster, depending on where the bus is located at the time. Coos Bay has four such safety areas. Students’ parents can call the schools or the bus barns during an emergency to learn where their children are waiting.

— Compiled by Amanda Johnson, editorial assistant