P-J file photo

All Jamestown Public Schools participate in three bus safety drills per school year at all grade levels. The drills are a New York State Education safety requirement to help keep students safe.

“During the bus safety drills we teach all students how to properly ride the school bus, emergency evacuation instructions, how to help a disabled driver and how to get off a bus, look both ways and wait for the bus driver to give the ok to cross the street,” said JPS Transportation Supervisor Tom Blidy. “Student safety is our number one priority and by showing our students proper bus safety etiquette, we hope to help them know what to do in case of a school bus emergency.”

The most recent spring drills included: the importance of following a bus driver and bus aides direction in an emergency, ridership rules, how to use the seat belts, sitting in the middle of the bus if possible, boarding the bus promptly after school to save time, emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits and reflectors, and emergency exits and what to do if the driver is disabled including how to shut off the bus and all on the bus radio for help.