California District Impacted by Wildfires Receives Donations of School Bus Camera Systems

Paradise (Calif.) Unified School District accepted donations of 14 new school bus video surveillance systems and installation services after sustaining damage to some of its schools and buses during last year's Camp Fire. Photo courtesy Jaime Neff

PARADISE, Calif. — A school district here has received donations of new school bus video surveillance systems and installation services after sustaining significant damage to its buses during the Camp Fire last November.

The 14 new camera systems from REI for Paradise Unified School District (USD) will replace those destroyed by prolonged exposure to the wildfire, and will be used to capture interior and exterior incidents such as vandalism, bullying, unsafe driving maneuvers, and other occurrences that may affect school bus security. In addition, transportation dealer and distributor A-Z Bus Sales Inc. will donate time and materials to install the systems on the district’s new buses.

“The aftermath of the wildfires has placed an incredible hardship on Paradise students and their families,” said Scott Hays, president of REI. “Donating new surveillance systems and partnering with A-Z Bus Sales is one way we can help restore safe environments for children, support this vibrant community, and extend a hand to a customer in need.”

Rubina Hartwig, the director of transportation for Paradise USD, said that the fire has made it difficult for the district, which lost four of its nine schools in the fire, to operate properly due to the lack of tools and resources.

“As we start to pick up the pieces and rebuild, we are thankful for our partnerships with REI and A-Z Bus Sales,” Hartwig explained. “To be offered an opportunity such as this is phenomenal. We are humbled and grateful for the outpouring of support for our students and community.”

John Landherr, president and CEO of A-Z Bus Sales Inc., added that its employee-owners "are thrilled to serve the students and staff of Paradise Unified School District. It is the least we can do after this community has suffered so greatly.”