SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

School bus driver saves home from fire

Tammy Ritter, a driver in Baldwin City, Kansas, discovered that a doghouse on the porch of a house had caught fire. She threw it onto the front lawn, stomped out most of the flames, and called the fire department, preventing the fire from spreading to the house.

February 2, 2015
2 min to read


BALDWIN CITY, Kan. — Tammy Ritter, a bus driver for Baldwin City Unified School District 348, saved a home from catching on fire last week while she was driving on her morning route, Lawrence Journal-World reports.

Ritter discovered that a doghouse on the porch of Lori and Dennis Lederer’s home had caught on fire, according to the newspaper. She realized no one was home, threw the doghouse onto the front lawn, stomped out as many of the flames as she could, called the fire department and brought the dog with her to the next stop on her route, Lawrence Journal-World reports. She told Tiffany Paulick, the mother of the students who lived near that stop, about the fire. Paulick went to the Lederers’ home, found a hose and put out the smoldering remains of the doghouse.

Meanwhile, Lori Lederer got a call that morning from her son-in-law, who is a firefighter, according to the newspaper. He told her there had been a fire at her home, but that firefighters had arrived to find that Ritter and Paulick’s efforts had prevented it from spreading.

Ritter returned to the house with the dog after dropping off her students at school. The only damage to the house was a dark stain on the porch floor and small singe on the siding, according to the newspaper. The marks are evidence of what could have been a disaster for the Lederers if not for the timely actions of Ritter and Paulick, Lori Lederer told Lawrence Journal-World.

To read the full story, go here.

More Safety

Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Transportant stop arm camera shown on an orange “new product” graphic with School Bus Fleet branding.
SafetyJanuary 20, 2026

Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses

Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 19, 2026

3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers

Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.

Read More →
An image of a student with a backpack walking with text reading "Walking School Bus: Grant Fuels Safer Pedestrian Routes to School in New Mexico."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 15, 2026

New Mexico District Receives $2.7M Grant to Expand Walking School Bus Programs

See how a federal grant will help Albuquerque Public Schools expand supervised walking routes and improve student safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration showing a school bus with a standard stop arm and a deployed retractable safety barrier extending across the roadway to block passing vehicles.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Florida Inventor Creates Retractable 10-Foot Stop-Arm

A newly developed school bus safety device introduces a retractable barrier designed to deter illegal passing during student loading and unloading.

Read More →