Yesterday afternoon, training paid off for a bus load of students in Crow Wing County.

A Reichert Bus driver was transporting about 30 students from school to a drop-off spot near Brainerd when he suffered a medical emergency. Students on board were tipped off when they noticed they weren’t traveling on their usual route. One student used the bus radio to call the authorities.

The driver was able to stop the bus, leaving the kids on the side of the road in a rural area.

The Brainerd Police Department and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and found the children around 3:20 p.m., according to a Brainerd Dispatch report. All the children were accounted for without any injuries.

Some students called their parents, who waited with them until police arrived. Close to 4 p.m., another bus arrived to transport the remaining students home.

The driver reportedly continued on after leaving the students. He later was located after a search and was transported to a hospital. Authorities did not give details about his condition, but said it is "serious." 

“Thanks to the quick thinking of a student, everyone is safe,” said Kala Henkensiefken, transportation special education manager, at Bemidji Area Schools. “I worked for Reichert Bus when I started in the bus business, and they always strived to educate all the bus riders on what to do in an emergency. This is a true testament to the importance of evacuation drills and training our students.”