EXTON, Pa. — School bus dealer BusWest has been named a distributor, service provider, and certified installer of Fogmaker North America fire suppression systems.

BusWest has service facilities throughout California and Nevada.

“Protecting both the passengers and the vehicle itself with Fogmaker North America is an easy and smart choice,” said Jim Bernacchi, president of BusWest. “We’ve seen what this fire suppression system can do within the bus industry, and we’re looking forward to educating our customers on the importance of fire suppression within their fleet.”

According to a recent Department of Transportation study, about 380 school bus fires are reported every year, with 68% of them originating in the engine area, running gear, or wheel area of the vehicle.

Fogmaker uses water mist to suppress fires by displacing oxygen and reducing the ambient temperature to prevent re-ignition. It also blankets fuel sources with a biodegradable, non-toxic foam.

“We are very excited to announce our partnership with BusWest,” said Kent Tyler, vice president of Fogmaker North America. “We look forward to working with their entire sales and service teams to raise awareness and support existing customers. Our patented Fogmaker technology is designed to not only automatically suppress thermal events, but also provide additional time for occupants to safely evacuate the bus.”