School Bus Stabilization & Extrication

Developed byFF Jon M. GrazianiMaple Valley Fire & Life Safety

School Bus Statistics

Each year, school buses provide an estimated 10 billion student trips in the United States.

Every school day, 475,000 school buses transport 25 million children to and from schools and school-related activities.

A little “History”

The first school bus was horse-drawn, introduced in 1827 by George Shillibeer, it was designed to carry 25 children.

Statistics

Over the past 11 years school buses have annually averaged 26,000 crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities: 25% were drivers, 75% were passengers – National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

School Bus Occupant Hazards

Most school bus fatalities occur outside the bus during loading and unloading of children.

Most school bus injuries occur inside the school bus, 2/3 of the injuries are minor – patients were not properly positioned inside the seating area.

School Bus Hazards

Most fatalities and accidents occur in the afternoon and mid-year; students and drivers aren’t thinking about a “school bus”, they’re usually thinking about what they will do when they get home. Most fatalities occur between December and May of each year. – State education department.

Scene Control

School bus crashes are extremely difficult, even for the seasoned veteran. Will draw enormous attention

Students with cell phones will call parents, relatives or friends

All of which will race to the scene frantic and worried

News media will attempt to get pictures and stories

As the clock ticks more and more people will be notified of the incident To deal with these people request law

enforcement for traffic control and restrict access to unnecessary individuals

Scene Control

Set up a Staging area for Parents, Media, School Representatives Assign a PIO

Manage the Victims Follow Zone 3 MCI protocols

Establish Pre-determined response so decisions aren’t made by the seat of your pants Fire Department & EMS Local School Representatives Law Enforcement

Component Hazards

School buses pose the same hazards as most vehicles on the roadway today Size & Mass alone is a

hazard to all working on/in/around a not properly stabilized vehicle

Fires Dense toxic fumes due to

the use of flammable materials in seats.

Access Narrow aisle ways.

School Bus Systems

Similar to other vehicles, School buses have batteries, fuel systems, air bags and seat belts.

Storage Compartments

Built around the chassis Provides “false” support

system for struts & cribbing

Light gauge steel / NO structural support

Accessed from both sides “What’s inside the storage

compartment?”

Battery Access

Rear Drivers-Side Compartment 3-6 batteries Slide tray Terminate “Negative”

Disconnect (or) Double Cut Follow Dept Procedures

Engine Access

All “cab-over” buses have engines mounted in the rear of the bus

Fuel Systems

Fuel systems vary Diesel Gas Butane Propane Natural Gas Hybrid

Be aware of the various fuel systems, be prepared to contain fuel spillage

Safety Features

On-board Fire Extinguishers

Emergency Escape Windows & Roof Hatches

School Bus Access

The weakest to strongest parts of a school bus are as follows and should be considered as you gain access:1.Windows2. Windshield3. Doors4. The structure itself

Access

Gaining access to the Cab can be simple to complex “Try before you Pry” Conscious driver, “ask them to

open the door” Emergency Exits

Windows, Doors, and/or Roof hatches

Unconscious, utilize a pike pole through door window

The goal is to find a way “IN” and a way “OUT”

Access Issues

Resting on its wheels Emergency Exits

Resting on its side Remove front window as the Entry

Point Remove rear window as the Egress

Point Best operation is to operate the locking

mechanism from the inside Totally remove the door

Resting on its top Remove windows and exit doors

Window Removal

Remove two windows and the post to create a large access/egress point for rescuers and victims

The window frame can be removed with a screw driver, window punch or hydraulic cutters Laminated Glass on Windshield Remove the rubber seal from

window frame to pull windshield out intact

Tempered Glass on sides

Making a door from a window

Once the glass is removed, utilize the cutters or reciprocating saw Determine the size of

the opening Cut away the pillars Cut down to the floor

board

Stabilization

School buses are large vehicles weighing up to and in excess of 12 tons. Overall Size: Height and Weight Requires a large amount of cribbing Box cribbing will eventually distribute the

weight Struts prevent horizontal movement

Their size creates stabilization obstacles not normally dealt with in passenger vehicles

Any shifting can harm rescuers and victims Be aware of surroundings, identify a way

out if conditions change

Stabilization Concerns

Traditional Stabilization techniques Chock the wheels Terminate electrical system Set Airbrake Turn OFF ignition Do NOT deflate tires

6 or more inches of downward movement on one side may cause a drastic tilt

Bus may not be totaled and will need to be moved or towed

Stabilization Basics

Utilizing Stabilization Struts Remove compartment door

(s) for proper anchoring point You must find a “safe” &

“solid” anchoring point The “black” band is a safe

anchoring point

Stabilization Basics

If you choose to utilize box cribbing you must gain access to the frame rails

Standard to Large dimensional lumber will be required

Extrication Tools

The tools needed for bus extrication operations are carried on most fire engines The reciprocating saw is an

excellent tool, it is light weight, smaller, allowing firefighters to cut overhead and in tight spaces

Allows for quick work, electric powered are more reliable then battery powered

Require 25+ replacement blades

Extrication Tools

Tools and equipment that may be needed: Axes, Sledgehammers, Pry bars,

Pike Poles, Utility Knives Hydraulic Spreaders/Cutters/Ram Cribbing (standard and large

dimensional lumber) Struts Lifting Airbags Air Chisels PERSONNEL

Bus Vs. Vehicle “Under-Ride”

“Tunneling” Operations are labor intensive and time consumingThe bus must be

properly stabilized/to include suspension

The vehicle must be stabilized / strap suspension to gain additional work space

Bus Vs. Vehicle “T-Bone”

Perform all standard stabilization procedures before extrication operations begin

Due to the height of a bus most accidents will be “under-ride” accidents that require some form of “tunneling” procedure

Depending on patient location extrication procedures can be simple to technical

Rear Access

Similar to a third door conversion on an “extended” cab vehicle: Cut the top pillar Make a relief cut and

or cut the remainder of the paneling away with the cutters or Reciprocating saw Reciprocating saw is

the preferred tool

Photo’s courtesy of Brian Craig photography

Roof Removal

Roof construction consists of two layers of metal separated by insulation

Time consuming if correct tools are not utilized Circular saw

Plunge blade deep enough to cut through both layers of metal and bracings

Reciprocating saw Have extra blades on hand

Air chisel Have extra SCBA bottles

available

Seat Removal

Once access is gained to the seat and floor board the hydraulic cutters or spreaders can be utilized to remove the seat mounts from the floor board: Place the tips of the spreaders

between the floorboard and mounting brackets and “pop” the seats from the floor

Place the cutting blades at the lowest point on the mounting brackets, then cut through the light gauge steel

Photo’s courtesy of Brian Craig photography

School Bus Fires

Traditional “vehicle” fire tactics should be used Fuel Tanks are major hazard

Up to 100 gallons of diesel Greater than 55 gallons is

considered a Hazardous Material Plastic fuel tanks mounted under

the chassis Major fuel spill hazards

Suppression Operations

Follow all vehicle fire suppression tactics Conventional Cab / Front mounted

engine Cab-Over / Rear mounted engine

The END

There is a great deal to learn about school buses and the challenges posed at a crash scene.

Training & Preplanned coordination between fire & emergency services and local school transportation representatives can lead to a more effective and efficient operation

References:

Paul Hasenmeier, City of Huron Fire Department Tom Kiurski, Livonia MI Fire & Rescue Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Brian Livingston, LN Curtis