A May accident involving a Buckeye Local School District bus led to a training session that will ensure area first responders will be prepared to react to similar incidents in the future.

The training earlier this month brought firefighters and EMTs together to get hands-on instruction about the best strategies and tactics to use when they are confronted with crashes involving school buses.

It was put together after a May 6 head-on accident between a pick-up truck and a district bus along Jefferson County Road 15. While both vehicles suffered extensive damage, none of the 13 students aboard the bus or its driver were seriously injured.

Accidents involving school buses can create anxious moments for parents, school administrators and the firefighters, EMTs and police officials who are called to the scene.

The training, which was conducted by Dayton-based Crash Course Village, offered first responders the chance to learn how to handle many different accident scenarios, from how to safely enter a bus that has rolled onto its side to proper techniques for cutting into different parts of the vehicle to allow access. They had the chance to use the saws, cutters and jacks that are needed for them to effectively do their jobs. It’s specialized training for specialized vehicles — school buses are designed to keep students safe and to protect them in the event a crash does happen.

Continuing education is important for everyone in every field. And while we hope there will never be a crash involving a school bus, we also realize such an accident is inevitable. That’s why such sessions are important for local first responders and the area residents they serve.