Bus drivers learn active shooter tips

It's a nightmare situation for any parent.

Roughly 85 area school bus drivers attended an active shooter presentation, conducted by Randolph County Sheriff Shannon Wolff, last week at Chester Grade School.

"As a bus driver, you always look out for your kids," said Donna Ramsey-Dobbs, who has been driving for 13 years combined between Western Egyptian and Southwestern Illinois Bus Company (SWIBCO). "They are like our children. It's somebody else's precious cargo, as well as ours."

Unlike the larger school shooter training sessions, bus training involves a more confined space with fewer places to hide.

"Any situation like that, regardless of the location, is a worse-case nightmare scenario," said Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey, who is a certified instructor in Tier One Tactical's 4E (Educate, Escape, Evade and Engage) program. "The big thing about the buses is that they have a plan in place and know how to respond.

"We will be providing the bus drivers with that particular response."

During the 4E training program, bus drivers are taught how they can prevent hijackings and what to do if they are hijacked. Drivers are also instructed on what they can do to help law enforcement in such a situation.

"It could be highly complicated depending on where they're located at the time of the incident," Coffey said. "Whether they're in a rural area or not and if they are still mobile.

"There's all kinds of different factors. It's a whole different venue as far as an active shooter is concerned."

Wolff said last week's presentation was simply to get the bus drivers acquainted with the terms of the active shooter event and what law enforcement will expect out of the drivers.

"This is the initial training and the next thing is to provide to them with information on what to do," he said. "It will include scenarios and this was more to familiarize them with what an active shooter event is and their role in it."

Wolff also noted the seriousness of active shooter incidents, with more than 180 since the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado in 1999.

"We've been working with (Superintendent of Schools) Kelton Davis and the ROE to schedule these," Wolff said. "The ROE will schedule with us on a day to do the training on the buses."

Steeleville District 138, as does Chester District 139, uses SWIBCO buses to transport students. Steeleville Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland felt that the bus drivers receiving the training is a good idea.

"I think the more you can prepare people who are working with kids and kids' safety, the better people are in general," she said.

Ramsey-Dobbs said she has talked with teachers who have been through the school shooter training scenarios.

"I don't think you can have enough training as a bus driver," she said. "We do a refresher course every year and a lot of times, it's a great reminder of what to be aware of."