On Wednesday, April 17, around 8:15 a.m., a Plymouth Community School Corporation veteran bus driver, was in noticeable distress while driving his bus on his normal prekindergarten Wednesday pickup route.
A Jefferson Elementary School preschool aide, who is also a pre-K bus aide, was also on the bus. She jumped into immediate action putting the bus into park, she then radioed our PCSC transportation dispatch informing them of the medical emergency and our PCSC transportation employee immediately called 911.
The situation happened near the rural intersection of Richter and 9th roads. Two prekindergarten students were on the bus at the time of the incident and were not injured. The students were both safely transported to Jefferson and a second bus was dispatched to pick up the remaining students who had yet to be picked up for preschool.
The bus driver was transported by ambulance to Saint Joseph Health System in Plymouth where he was admitted. Due to HIPAA, no further information about the bus driver’s medical situation can be shared.
This particular bus being driven was equipped with child safety restraint systems required by law to safely transport prekindergarten and special needs students. Important to note, just this school year, the current PCSC administration has started to implement bus aides, when available, to accompany PCSC bus drivers who operate child safety restraint system buses.
Plymouth Community School Corporation, superintendent Andy Hartley said, “Our number one priority is always to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Today might have ended very differently if it wasn’t for an aide being on that school bus. I am so thankful and proud of her heroic efforts.”
Plymouth Community School Corporation commends our Jefferson Elementary School preschool bus aide for her quick thinking and actions that resulted in a situation that ended as peaceful as possible for all involved.
