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Students recognized for quick thinking during Huntsville bus fire

From Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB): 

Extraordinary contributions to Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) by staff members, students, school volunteers, or community members are recognized each Public Meeting of the Board Meeting by the director of education, Wes Hahn. The following individuals were nominated at the January 28 meeting in recognition of their outstanding commitment and dedication to the Board: Campbell Bus Lines Route M241 driver, Garry Thompson, Huntsville Public School students Kennedy and Corbyn, and Huntsville High School student Aspen.

On January 13, Thompson detected that there was something wrong with the bus he was driving during his morning route. Even though he was close to the next school drop-off location, he immediately recognized that there was a potential risk to student safety and pulled the bus over. Thompson acted calmly and decisively in selecting three reliable student riders to help him implement the evacuation protocol and to move all riders to a safe location.

Kennedy, Corbyn, and Aspen assisted without hesitation, followed directions from the driver, and remained calm while helping to evacuate the other student riders and ensure that everyone remained a safe distance from the bus. The driver re-boarded the bus to call dispatch and request that they contact emergency services and send a recovery bus. The driver then conducted a second and third check of the bus to ensure that every student rider had evacuated. When the recovery bus arrived, the three volunteer students demonstrated leadership and care in assisting the other riders to board the new bus to continue their rides to school. After the recovery bus left the scene with the students, a fire did start in the engine area, eventually engulfing the bus.

Thompson’s instincts, his calm, decisive actions, and the assistance of the students are the reasons that no one suffered any injuries and the damage was contained to the bus and did not impact any other structures in the community.

Unfortunately, Kennedy and Corbyn were unable to attend the Board Meeting, but TLDSB was able to formally recognize and thank these individuals for remaining calm in a crisis, and for demonstrating outstanding leadership, quick-thinking, and dedication to student safety.

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