school bus

Groveland Police Follow School Buses to Ensure Safe Transports

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Groveland Police Department
Jeffrey Gillen, Chief
Public Safety Building
181 Main St
Groveland, MA 01834

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Groveland Police Follow School Buses to Ensure Safe Transports

The Groveland Police Department is shadowing school buses along their routes to ensure drivers are obeying state laws. (Courtesy Photo Georgetown Police)

GROVELAND — To ensure children are able to safely enter and exit their school buses, and that drivers are aware of the rules of the road, the Groveland Police Department is shadowing school buses along their routes.

Beginning the week of Nov. 19, after receiving complaints of cars passing buses while stopped with their flashing red lights on, officers began accompanying buses in the mornings and afternoons in marked and unmarked cruisers.

Drivers who fail to stop for a school bus with its red lights activated are subject to a $250 fine, and motorists with two or more offenses can have their licenses revoked.

Since implementing this safety campaign, two drivers have been stopped and were issued warnings.

“We want drivers to be aware that officers will be monitoring bus routes to ensure all laws are followed and children are safe,” Chief Jeffrey Gillen said. “By addressing this proactively, we hope to prevent accidents and injuries.”

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), approximately 400,000 students in the state are transported to school by bus every year.

School buses are a relatively safe form of transportation. DPH reports that the majority of related injuries occur to pedestrians who are boarding or exiting a bus and are hit by passing traffic or while in one of the bus driver’s blind spots. Children ages 4 to 7 are at the highest risk of injury.

Residents should remember that:

  • State law requires drivers to stay at least 100 feet behind a school bus at all times.
  • Motorists also must stop for school buses and school vans when red lights are flashing. Be on the lookout for flashing yellow and red lights, and be ready to stop.
  • Never pass a school bus when its stop sign arm is down and red lights are flashing.
  • Do not begin driving again until the flashing red lights are turned off, the stop sign is put back in place and the bus begins moving.

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Berkley Fire Department Details Incident Response to Bus Crash

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Berkley Fire Rescue
Scott Fournier, Chief
5 N Main St.
Berkley, MA 02779

For Immediate Release

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Many Agencies Come Together after School Bus Crash, Mass Casualty Incident in Berkley

Thirty Patients Transported in 30 Minutes, All Expected to Survive

BERKLEY — Fire Rescue Chief Scott Fournier wishes to acknowledge the communities and first responders who answered the call last night when a school bus filled with people crashed on Rt. 24.

Berkley Fire Rescue responded to a location after exit 11 but before exit 10 receiving multiple 911 calls about a serious crash.

Chief Fournier was the first firefighter on scene, and he immediately knew that Berkley would need significant mutual aid assistance. The Chief established a command post and issued two orders that resulted in the mobilization of resources from around southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He declared a Mass Casualty Incident and requested an Ambulance Task Force, under the Commonwealth’s emergency management protocols.

Bristol County Control, which dispatches mutual aid in the county, was notified in seconds. Ambulances from Alert Ambulance (1), Brewster Ambulance (2), Dighton (1), Raynham (2), Fall River (2), Somerset (1), Swansea (1), Rehoboth (1), Freetown (1), Seekonk (2), Norton (1), Mansfield (1), Westport (1), North Attleboro (1), Tiverton, R.I. (1), Bridgewater (2), Lakeville (2), Middleborough (1), West Bridgewater (1), Canton (1), Avon (1), and Randolph (1) were summoned to the scene. Taunton Police and Fire, Berkley Police and the Massachusetts State Police also responded.

In addition to the fire trucks and ambulances, nearly a dozen municipal fire chiefs from around the area responded to assist Chief Fournier with command, operations, triage and communications.

The effort resulted in the transportation of 30 patients to five hospitals in two states in 30 minutes.

Patients were brought to Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, St. Anne’s Hospital, Morton Hospital and Charlton Memorial Hospital. The bus passengers ranged in age from infants to elderly adults.

“I would just like to thank all the mutual aid departments as well as municipal and state police. Last evening was a total team effort. It is the kind of situation we train for and sit in workshops and prepare for, but you really come to appreciate the value of all that planning when see it unfold before you,” Chief Fournier said. “I am also profoundly proud of our emergency responders from the Town of Berkley, including police, dispatch, EMS and fire personnel, who were the first to get the call and arrived on scene during the critical first moments of this emergency.”

The Massachusetts State Police has assumed primary jurisdiction over the incident.

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Andover Police Investigating School Bus Crash

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andover-patch

Andover Police Department
Chief Patrick Keefe
32 North Main St.
Andover, MA 01810

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Andover Police Investigating School Bus Crash

No Injuries Reported

ANDOVER — Chief Patrick Keefe reports that no students were injured when a minivan collided with a school bus in Andover Thursday afternoon.

At approximately 2:20 p.m., Andover Police and Fire responded to Red Spring Road, near Moraine Street, for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a school bus.

When officers arrived, they found that the bus had turned sideways in the road, blocking both lanes of traffic. The bus came to a stop with its rear against a guardrail and its front on a dirt embankment, stopping just short of striking a utility pole.

The bus was carrying approximately 20 Andover High School students at the time of the collision. No students, or the bus driver, reported being injured.

The minivan, which had two passengers inside including the operator, sustained front-end damage. They were also uninjured.

Following the crash, Andover Public School officials immediately responded to assess the situation and tend to students. Parents were called and arrived on scene to pick up their children.

The cause of the crash is under active investigation by the Andover Police. The initial investigation indicates that the driver of the minivan sideswiped the school bus.

 

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Bedford, N.H. Police Participating in Road Safety Event Tuesday

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Bedford Police Department
John J. Bryfonski, Chief of Police
55 Constitution Drive
Bedford, NH 03110

For Immediate Release

Monday, April 30, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Bedford Police Participating in Road Safety Event Tuesday

Operation Safe Stop Educates Public About Stopping for School Buses

BEDFORD, N.H. — Chief John J. Bryfonski reports that the Bedford Police Department will be taking part in a public road safety campaign tomorrow to remind drivers about laws regarding illegally passing stopped school buses.

Operation Safe Stop is a public service project that will take place throughout the day Tuesday, May 1, in more than 20 New Hampshire communities.

Police presence will be increased on roads in Bedford and officers will be targeting drivers that violate the laws.

“Student safety and road safety are two of our biggest concerns as a department,” Chief Bryfonski said. “We ask anyone who sees a driver go past a bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign extended, to report it to us as soon as it is safe to do so. A  license plate number or description of the vehicle would also be helpful.”

The law states that drivers should slow down when they see the flashing yellow lights on school buses. This provides an opportunity for motorists to slow down and stop, or when too close to stop, the opportunity to continue past.

Drivers must stop no closer than 25 feet from the school bus whenever the red lights are flashing if:

  • You are on a two-lane roadway (one lane in each direction)
  • You are on a multiple lane roadway (three or more lanes), even if you are traveling in the opposite direction. (All lanes of traffic must stop going in both directions)
  • You are in a school yard, with no dedicated loading area.

Motorists should always be watching for children who may be waiting for the bus or crossing the street.

Drivers who see another person drive through the school bus red lights and stop sign are asked to report the incident to police. Never attempt to stop, follow or engage the other driver.

Other communities participating in the event include: Atkinson, Bedford, Berlin, Brookfield, Concord, Chesterfield, Danville, Effingham, Keene, Manchester, Middleton, Milford, Nashua, New Durham, North Hampton, Ossipee, Plaistow, Sandown, Tuftonboro and Wolfeboro.

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