More than 100 Marietta City Schools bus drivers recently completed emergency safety training — and it involved deliberately setting an old school bus on fire. Local fire, public safety, and education officials ignited the vehicle to show drivers firsthand how quickly smoke and flames can spread inside a bus.
What Happened Inside the Burning Bus
The numbers were alarming. Inside the burning vehicle, temperatures reached 312 degrees in just 100 seconds. Officials stressed that drivers have roughly 75 seconds to evacuate all passengers before toxic fumes make breathing dangerous.
That narrow window is exactly why hands-on training matters.
What Drivers Learned
Transportation Director Kimberly Ellis said buses are equipped with multiple emergency exits, and drivers regularly train students on how to use them correctly.
“In the event of an emergency we’re ready,” Ellis said.
Beyond fire safety, drivers also received training in positive behavior intervention — learning classroom-style management techniques to handle student behavior during daily routes.
What Comes Next
All Marietta City Schools buses have completed mandatory safety inspections and are cleared to carry students for the new school year.
Transportation staff will also visit local elementary schools to teach younger students about rear exit evacuations, blind spots, and how to safely cross the street near buses.
Whether additional live-fire training demonstrations are planned has not been announced by the district.
