Carrying Medical Information on the Bus

There is no federal standard requiring student medical information on school buses, regardless of whether or not the buses transport students with special needs. But for some students, medical information is critical to ensure proper medical treatment in an emergency. With those children, we must be sure that medical documentation is properly stored on the bus, in a location known to all emergency responders. Children whose medical needs should be documented include not only those categorized as “special-needs students,” but also those with allergies, asthma, epilepsy and immune system deficiencies (including transplant recipients). The decision on which students require medical information should be determined by the student’s Individualized Educational Program Committee. Here are some options for location of medical information on the bus: • In a well-marked, preferably fire-retardant pouch, carried by the monitor • On the dashboard or firewall between the entrance door and the driver • On the rear of the partition directly inside the entrance • On the right side of the header above the windshield • On the bulkhead above and behind the driver's seat Source: “Special-Needs Transporters and First Responders,” Linda Bluth and Marie Warner-Crosson, Conference on Transporting Students with Disabilities, March 2002.