SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SECURITY TRAINING

1
SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SECURITY TRAINING
2
3 Options in Responding to Threats/Acts and Other
Acts of Violence

• Be like an ostrich. Stick our heads in the sand
  and ignore the possibility
• Overreact. Live in paranoia and fear that
  negatively impacts the quality of our lives.
• Keep our eyes and ears open. Report suspicious
  activities and learn how to react to a crisis if
  it were to occur.
• S-1

3
Six Basic Security Management Steps

• 1. Keep calm and assess the situation.
• 2. Contact supervision and, if necessary,
  emergency responders.
• 3. If required - evacuate, relocate or shelter in
  place.
• S-2

4

• Protect self, and protect and assist the students
• Identify self to and cooperate with emergency
  responders
• Follow school procedures and complete
  documentation
• S-3

5
Defining the Threat and Risk

• THE CLASSIC DEFINITION OF TERRORISM IS
• The threat or use of force or violence to coerce
  a government or civilian population, in pursuit
  of political or social objectives
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• S-4

6
Examples of Terrorist Motivation Can Include

• Political or religious beliefs
• Hatred of the United States
• Revenge by disgruntled workers and students
• Mental instability
• Racism or ethnic hatred
• Criminal behavior
• S-5

7
Examples ofTerrorist Acts Include

• World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on 9/11
• Oklahoma City bombing of Federal building
• Abortion clinic bombings
• Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack
• S-6

8
Potential Terrorist Targets Include

• Mass transit vehicles
• Public buildings and assembly areas
• Schools and universities
• Military facilities
• Water supply and power locations
• S-7

9
Summary of the Terrorist Threat

• Terrorism is not a new phenomenon
• Terrorists have a wide variety of motives,
  tactics and preferred targets
• We can expect more terrorism in the U.S.
• Most terrorist attacks have been bombings
• Chemical, biological and nuclear threats may
  increase.
• S-8

10
Why are School Facilities/School Buses
Vulnerable?

• Relatively unprotected and vulnerable
• Potential large number of casualties
• They are everywhere in the nation
• Children present an emotional target
• Attacks would demoralize the community, state,
  and nation
• S-9

11
School Bus Drivers are the Eyes and Ears of the
Community

• Be aware of
• Suspicious activity or behavior
• Unusual conditions of vehicles
• Strange packages or items brought onto the bus
• Emergency operating plans and procedures
• S-10

12
Recommended Security Procedures for School Bus
Drivers

• Be familiar with state, school district, and
  company security guidelines
• Remove keys from ignition when vehicle is
  unattended
• Conduct pre-trip and post-trip vehicle
  inspections
• S-11

13
Recommended Security Procedures for School Bus
Drivers, cont

• Maintain an uncluttered bus
• Maintain constant awareness
• of people and activities
• Trust your gut reaction
• Immediately report any
• security weakness
• S-12

14
Scenario 1

• It is early morning. You are walking toward
  your assigned school bus to head out for the
  morning route. As you turn the corner to walk
  around your bus, you notice a stranger in plain
  clothes coming off of it. What should you do?
• S-13

15
Inspecting the Bus, Facilities, and Surroundings

• EQUIPMENT - PRE POST- TRIP INSPECTION
• Seats
• Floor Surface
• Undercarriage
• Engine Compartment

• Tires
• Fenders
• Cargo Compartment
• S-14

16

• Surroundings
• Facility
• Changes in workplace environment
• School staging areas
• Student pick up/drop off area
• Good housekeeping
• S-15

17
Scenario 2

• You are a school bus driver. As you are waiting
  outside the school to take students home, you
  notice a man taking pictures of the school
  building. He does not look particularly
  threatening. What should you do?
• S-16

18
Identifying and Reporting Unusual Behavior

• Interest in school facilities and/or school
  buses, employees, or students
• Repeated sightings within the school or bus
  environment
• Taking photographs or video of staging areas
• Abandoning an item and leaving the area quickly
• Possessing a weapon or dangerous item
• S-17

19
Characteristics to be Noted when Reporting
Suspicious People

• Eyes
• Ears
• Mouth/nose
• Hair/facial hair

• Cheeks/chin
• Neck
• Complexion
• Body shape/size
• S-18

20

• Forehead
• Jewelry
• Shirt/blouse
• Dress
• Coat
• Pants/skirt

• Hat
• Socks/Shoes
• Oddities/Tattoos
• General appearance
• Accessories
• S-19

21
Identifying and Reporting Unusual Vehicles

• Repeated sightings
• Vehicle type, appearance, location concerns
• Vehicles following or shadowing school buses
• Vehicles with suspicious occupants
• Note the year, make, model, color, license plate,
  occupants, direction, other identifying features
• S-20

22
Reacting to Suspicious Items, Devices and Sounds

• Placed in out-of-the way locations where they are
  not easily seen
• Accompanied by threatening message
• Could have the potential to be a bomb of some
  type
• S-21

23
Reacting to Suspicious Items, Devices and Sounds

• Visible wires, batteries or timers attached
• Abandoned by someone who quickly leaves the scene
• Tanks, bottles or bags visible
• A suspicious cloud, mist, gas or vapor
• S-22

24
Reacting to Suspicious Items, Devices and Sounds

• Common objects in uncommon locations, such as
  baby strollers or back packs
• Uncommon objects in common locations, such as gas
  cylinders
• S-23

25
General Rules to Avoid Injury from a Dangerous
Object

• NEVER touch, move or cover the suspicious object
  or device
• If an item is touched, keep hands away from
  mouth, nose and eyes. Wash hands well.
• Move as far away as possible and stay out of
  objects line-of-sight
• Do not use a radio or cell phone within 300
• Keep away from glass windows or other materials
  that could become flying debris
• Remain alert for additional or secondary
  explosive devices
• S-24

26
Evacuating, Relocating, or Sheltering in Place

• RESPONSE PRIORITIES IN ANY ATTACK ARE TO
• Protect yourself
• Notify appropriate authorities
• Protect students and others
• Assist students and others
• Assist emergency responders
• S-25

27
Responses to Protect Oneself

• Dont take risks
• Dont assume anything
• Dont forget about secondary devices
• Dont taste, eat, smell or touch anything
  suspicious
• Dont become a victim
• S-26

28
Notify Authorities by Explaining

• Your exact location and condition
• Type of injuries and/or symptoms
• Victim locations and positions
• Indicators of activities and objects
• Wind direction and weather on scene
• Existing or potentially dangerous condition
• S-27

29
Managing the Scene

• Continue to keep calm, reassure, and protect
  students
• Report incident
• Be alert to the possibility of secondary
  explosive devices
• Do not use cell phones or radios within 300
• Identify yourself to first responders upon their
  arrival
• Await direction from Incident Commander
• S-28

30
Scenario 3

• As you look in your rear view mirror, you notice
  one of your students has a handgun stuck in the
  waistband of his jeans. He looks wild-eyed and
  unstable. What do you do?
• S-29

31
Handling Conflict and Acts of Violence on the
Bus

• Stay calm and remain in control
• Look for ways to alert emergency personnel with
  location and nature of incident
• If possible, park the bus in a public place and
  open the doors
• If a weapon is involved, do not grab for it or
  make sudden movements
• Make every effort to make assailant feel you are
  cooperating
• If violence is directed at a student passenger,
  contact emergency personnel and intervene only if
  safe to do so
• S-30

32
Dealing With A Hostage Situation

• Survey staging area or student pick up/drop off
  for suspicious people/activities
• Do not open doors instead communicate through a
  window
• If suspicious individual is at RR crossing, do
  not open door make visual survey of tracks and
  move when safe. Contact Dispatch.
• Do not board persons if you suspect they are
  carrying a weapon or dangerous package
• If individual is on bus with concealed weapon,
  pretend you dont see it. Stay calm, do not
  confront. If possible, get everyone off the bus.
  Contact dispatch.
• S-31

33
Dealing With A Hostage Situation

• If bus is commandeered, follow all instructions
  avoid confrontation. Remain calm. Use common
  sense.
• If individual is on bus with concealed weapon,
  pretend you dont see it. Stay calm, do not
  confront. If possible, get everyone off the bus.
  Contact dispatch.
• Talk to the hijacker, try to create a
  relationship. Dont antagonize be patient and
  assertive
• Attempt to alert authorities but do not take
  action if it will increase risk to self or others
• S-32

34
Summarizing The Critical Issues

• The school bus driver as the first line of
  defense
• Threats of terrorism and violence
• Being the eyes and ears of the community
• Inspecting buses and surroundings
• Reacting to and reporting unusual behavior and
  vehicles
• S-33

35
Summarizing The Critical Issues

• Reacting to and reporting dangerous items,
  devices and dangerous substances
• Evacuating and sheltering in space
• Managing students and the scene
• Handling conflicts and threats of violence
• Surviving a hostage situation
• S-34

36
REVIEW OF SIX BASIC SECURITY MANAGEMENT STEPS

• 1. Keep calm and assess the situation
• 2. Contact supervision and, if necessary,
  emergency responders
• 3. If required - evacuate, relocate, or shelter
  in place
• 4. Protect self, and protect and assist the
  students
• Identify self to and cooperate with first
  responders
• Follow school procedures and complete
  documentation
• S-35