Author: Joyce S. Martel

Transportation
Emergency Plan
2014-2015 School Year
School Board
of Alachua County
Owen A. Roberts, PH.D.
Superintendent

Dear School Administrator:
Each day, over 153 Alachua County School District buses travel more than 25,000 miles, carrying over 14,224 students to and from school. Despite an excellent safety record, we must be prepared for a serious accident.
Several support and communications teams are prepared to move into action in case of a disaster. Harrell Harrison would direct the Crash Site Team; David Deas would coordinate the Communications Center, which would handle notification of schools and district officials. Schools would notify parents, while the Deputy Superintendent would coordinate victim assistance teams. The school principal would report to the crash site or hospital, and may be asked to activate the Crisis Support Team.
This procedures plan is meant to be a ready reference for school administrators and others who would be called to assist in a bus disaster. Please familiarize yourself and your staff with your responsibilities.
We all hope these procedures never will be needed, but believe this planning is essential. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance. Please call if you have any questions.
James H. Speer, Jr.
Transportation Department
(352) 955-7602 ext. 1714

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
In advance:
Maintain updated bus rider lists, complete with parent/guardian emergency phone numbers.
Designate staff member/s to report to hospital to assist with students and family members.
Contact local clergy and counselors to discuss plan and determine willingness to provide emergency victim assistance. Provide Deputy Superintendent with names, affiliations and phone numbers.
Discuss crash procedures with staff members, including who would handle parent notification.
If notified of crash:
Implement crash procedures outlined here.
Assign staff members to notify parents/guardians using bus lists and format on this plan.
Dispatch staff member/s to hospital to assist with students and family members.
Report to crash site or hospital as requested.
Refer all news media calls to the Superintendent’s Office, Public Information Officer Jackie Johnson.
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
In advance:
Maintain in readiness a Crisis Support Team consisting of counselors and psychologists who will be on call for victim assistance.
Maintain stock of victim assistance information cards to be distributed to families at hospital.
Discuss crash procedures plan with staff/principals.
If notified of crash:
Implement crash procedures outlined here.
Provide for notification of victim assistance team members, as needed for crash site or hospital.
Report to hospital to coordinate victim assistance efforts, including distribution of information cards, matching family members with clergy, counselors, etc.
Work with hospital PR staff on crowd control.
Refer news media to the SBAC Public Information Officer, Jackie Johnson.

ACCIDENT NOTIFICATION:
This is _______________________________________, calling from ___________________________ School. The bus your child rides has been involved in an accident. At this time, we are trying to verify our list of those riding the bus today. Did __________________________ ride the bus today? (If YES, continue. Keep track of those that parents say were not on the bus).
Our transportation department support team indicates that injuries appear to be ____________________ (minor/serious). Some students have been taken to ____________________________ Hospital. We do not yet have a list of injured students, but wanted to notify you as soon as possible. The following person from our Administrative Office, ________________________________, and _____________________________
from your school are at the hospital now. If you go to the hospital, please ask for one of them. They will be wearing Alachua County School Board badges. The accident occurred today at ______________ am/pm at
________________________________ in ________________.
This is what we know now about the crash:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
May I have your cell phone number or the name and phone number of a relative or close friend we may call later to leave any messages for you. I’m sorry to have to call with this news. I hope everything turns out all right.

TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR
Directs Crash Site Support Team; coordinates with law enforcement and emergency medical officials; maintains emergency supplies to be transported to crash site; arranges for wrecker or backup transportation; provides ongoing reports to Communications Center; determines need for victim assistance team; assists federal investigator; coordinates follow-up and investigation teams.
TRANSPORTATION MANAGER/OPERATIONS
Directs Post Crash Communications Team; coordinates notification of law enforcement, emergency vehicles (911), Crash Site Support Team, superintendent, assistant superintendent, area superintendent, principal , community relations coordinator, maintenance supervisor, school board attorney, and directors of risk management, payroll/purchasing and personnel; maintains ongoing communication with Crash Site team; provides updates to assistant superintendent and community relations.
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COORDINATOR
Serves on Crash Site Support Team at direction of Transportation Director; performs a variety of crash support duties, including providing information on best routes to crash scene, coordination backup transportation to school or hospital.
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
Notifies news media; conducts all media interviews; coordinates crowd control with local law enforcement/victim assistance announcements to radio stations; Maintains background information on transportation safety procedures, driver training; reports crash updates to news media.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Office Cell
James H. Speer, Jr., Director of Transportation 955-7602 ext. 1714 275-4821
David Deas, Transp. Mgr/Operations 955-7602 ext.1716 745-0429
Joe Lovell, Transp. Mgr/Maintenance 955-7602 ext. 1721 745-0413
Cassie White, Driver Trainer 955-7602 ext 1713 745-0395
Melissa Rentz, Field Trip Specialist 955-7602 ext. 1706 745-0391
Transportation Dispatch 955-7602
Edith Miles Ext. 1701 745-0409
Sheryl Williams Ext. 1700 672-1332
Diane McLeod Ext 1702 494-3484
Owen A. Roberts, Superintendent 955-7880
Hershel Lyons, Deputy Superintendent 955-7880 246-7633
Jackie Johnson, Public Information Officer 955-7253 X228 538-3613
Hospitals: North Florida Regional 333-4000 Shands 265-0111
School Board of Alachua County
620 East University Ave. Gainesville, FL 32601
Superintendent W. Daniel Boyd, Jr., Ed. D.
School Board Members
April Griffin Leanette McNealy, Ph.D
Carol Oyenarte Gunnar Paulson, Ed.D. Eileen F. Roy