It’s a nightmare that every parent has when their child rides the school bus to school every morning.
What if something happens? Who will protect my child? Is the bus driver keeping my child safe?
This the natural reaction of any parent who is entrusting their child’s safety to a complete stranger. Even worse, as parents we all know that mistakes are going to happen and we want to make sure our children are always safe.
[rsnippet id=”4″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_1″]
But like most fears, we just get used to the fact that there are things in this world that we can’t control and that our child is going to be safe. Millions of children ride the bus everyday, so the chances are very likely that your child will arrive home as safe as when you put them on the school bus in the morning.
There’s always that slight nag in the back of your head as a parent, of ‘what if’. Well, this story of one incredible bus driver is sure to convince you that even in the worst situation, these bus drivers will always risk their lives to save these children.
Much like firefighters and police officers, bus drivers know that there will come a time when they will need to risk their own safety for the children. It’s part of the job, and bus drivers need to be dedicated to that.
No matter if a child simply bumped their head on the bus or if there’s a fight between two children or something as chaotic as this, these drivers know that they will always need to protect the child first and foremost.
And that’s exactly what Glenarden Woods Elementary School bus driver Reneita Smith did when the unthinkable happened. Smith was driving the children home when the bus suddenly caught fire on a small road in the suburbs.
[rsnippet id=”5″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_2″]
Smith immediately jumped to action and evacuated all 20 of students that were still on the bus. She even went back on the bus to make sure that no child was left behind. All before the firefighters had shown up. She knew that time was key here and that waiting for the firefighters simply wasn’t an option.
Smith is a mother herself, so she knew that she couldn’t risk having any child left on the bus even if the firefighters were on their way. With a school bus completely engulfed in flames, the chance of any children being injured was simply too high.
In the video below you can see the bus completely engulfed in flames with fire blowing out of the windows. A huge pillar of black smoke flowing out the yellow bus. Smith truly risked her own life for the safety of these children. How many people would’ve risked their own lives against such a blaze?
We salute Smith for her incredible bravery and hope that all bus drivers, if the time ever comes, will do the same for the children they are supposed to protect.
[rsnippet id=”6″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_3″]
If you think Smith was a hero, be sure to check out what Ellen did to thank her for her incredible bravery.