The STS Bloodborne Pathogens course focuses on three very dangerous and pervasive viruses – the hepatitis B virus (H-B-V), the hepatitis C virus (H-C-V) and the human immunodeficiency virus (H-I-V). All three are pathogens of great concern in the modern world. Due to its somewhat unique history, I have chosen to focus on the H–I-V virus in this blog.

I’m old enough to remember when the initial odd fragments pertaining to H-I-V and the disease it causes – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) — began appearing on the news. It was 1981 and the first U.S. deaths attributed to the baffling disorder were recorded in Los Angeles. These victims, and the ones that followed, died because their immune systems stopped working. Unfortunately for purposes of public perception, most of these early victims were members of the male gay community.

By 1983, it was clear that the disease was being caused by a retrovirus that would come to be known as H-I-V. However, because of the particular social matrix of 1980s America, far too much attention was focused on the fact that the disease was prevalent in the gay community. For the most part, mainstream Americans believed they were safe from this “gay disease,” but mainstream Americans were tragically wrong and this misconception curtailed what should have been a swift and efficient adoption of the safety procedures that might have blunted the spread of AIDS.

H-I-V wasn’t and isn’t a “gay disease,” it’s a bloodborne pathogen, spread, as with all bloodborne pathogens, through the transmission of microorganisms from one person’s bloodstream to another’s. It’s so obvious now, but I’ll never forget how “unobvious” it seemed to millions of Americans back in the 1980s.

The perception didn’t change until the disease started rearing its ugly head everywhere; until people saw it ravaging heterosexuals as well has homosexuals, women as well as men, old as well as young. I’ll never forget the speech delivered by Mary Fisher at the 1992 Republican National Convention. This prominent, attractive young heterosexual woman had AIDS. She also had a powerful message, the essence of which is embodied in this excerpt:

“This is not a distant threat. It is a present danger. The rate of infection is increasing fastest among women and children. Largely unknown a decade ago, AIDS is the third leading killer of young adult Americans today. But it won’t be third for long, because unlike other diseases, this one travels. Adolescents don’t give each other cancer or heart disease because they believe they are in love, but HIV is different; and we have helped it along. We have killed each other with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence. We may take refuge in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long, because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human?

It was a wake-up call to Americans and marked the beginning of a stronger push toward viewing AIDS as an issue that could be boiled down to one thing – a specific bloodborne pathogen called H-I-V that could infect anyone if it found its way into his or her bloodstream. It was a matter of education about the true nature of the enemy, and about the safety precautions to which everyone should adhere to see to it that this or any other such pathogen doesn’t infect them.

Enter, STS and its Bloodborne Pathogens course aimed at improving safety in the workplace. However, the principles contained in this course represent prudent procedures for anyone, anywhere. As always with a course that has received the STS stamp of approval, the protocols here are rock solid. With dangerous retroviruses like H-I-V, H-B-V or H-C-V, the best cure is always prevention!

Andrew Metzger
Guest blogger
School Training Solutions

Each year every school bus driver in West Virginia who takes the online Certification/Recertification test has access to professional development training for that year via the same online system!

In addition, each WV school employee is eligible for the same online professional development courses for $35.00 per person/per year.

Our full catalog is available on our website.

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There are three main purposes West Virginia school districts use School Training Solutions (STS) online courses:

• School Bus Driver Certification
• School Bus Driver Recertification
• School Employee Professional Development

Have a great day!

Mark Levin is recognized globally as one of the leading speakers and consultants about the development of both personal and interpersonal skills, as well as building productive teams in the workplace. Mark’s award-winning book, “The Gift of Leadership”, is a hit on five continents, and is in its ninth printing. It was also selected as required reading for selected leadership programs at Penn State University.

Mark Levin is one of many featured speakers at the 2014 Annual NAPT Summit: Driving Innovation. Expect more reviews like, “Absolutely fabulous! A TON of information and ideas in a very entertaining presentation!”

Will you be there?

The annual NAPT Conference and Trade Show is consistently recognized as the premier school transportation conference in the nation. Expect over 3-dozen different workshops on an array of important topics. See the newest products and latest technology in pupil transportation! Choose from more than a dozen courses from the NAPT Professional Development Series.

There is a lot to do at this year’s summit. If you have scheduling conflicts, consider the online PDS courses!

A bloodborne pathogen is a microscopic organism present in human blood that causes disease in humans. It is important to be trained and aware of bloodborne pathogens in order to stay safe and healthy. View our infographic for more information on how bloodborne pathogens are transmitted, types of bloodborne pathogens, as well as how diseases contracted from bloodborne pathogens are prevented. Please feel free to share our infographic with anyone you think can benefit from this information.

We are also offering 2 discounted courses about the hazards of bloodborne pathogens and what preventable measures you can take to protect yourself from exposure. These courses are offered at a discounted price of $20 each during October.

Training is crucial for any organization’s development and success. The more training employees receive, the greater their knowledge and skill base becomes, which decreases the chance of error and leads to a more proficient employee. School bus drivers bear the responsibility of providing safe and efficient transport of children to and from school each and every day. By having the proper training, drivers can be more prepared to face whatever comes their way.

Read our article below that was in Florida School Bus Magazine to see how bus drivers used their training to keep their students safe in the face of danger.

 

School Bus Drivers: Everyday Heroes

By Brooke Neal, School Training Solutions

When many of us hear the word “hero” our mind immediately turns to fictional characters such as: Batman, Superman, Spiderman, etc. Most of us do not automatically think of school bus drivers. A hero is defined as “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Similarly, an old proverb states, “A hero is a man who is afraid to run away.” Here are just a few examples of Florida school bus drivers who didn’t “run away.”

• In Hillsborough County, students describe their school bus driver as a hero because she went back twice to clear their bus which had caught fire on the way to school. All 64 children were safely evacuated. A Hillsborough County Schools spokesperson describes her to WTSP News, “She was amazing. For her to go back on the bus, which she knew was a dangerous situation, is just an amazing situation for her to put herself into, especially since the flames were there.” The bus driver stated that it was just something she had to do.

• Dominique Charles, a bus driver in Palm Beach County, is another driver deemed “heroic” by many parents. He didn’t panic when his bus was struck by a van and veered off the road and came to rest suspended over a canal. He calmly and safely evacuated the 36 students. Charles told the Orlando Sentinel, “I did the best I could.” He remembered something he learned during his training, “Don’t ever let the bus control you. You have to control the bus.”

• St. Johns County driver Billy Buckley received the Superintendent’s Award for his quick thinking, which saved the life of a 6-year-old at his bus stop. As Mr. Buckley approached the child’s bus stop he noticed a car speeding up to pass, instead of slowing to stop at the bus’s flashing lights. He quickly laid on the horn and alerted the child to stop. The child’s mother reported to The Florida Times-Union, “Without a doubt, he saved my son’s life.”

These are just a few examples of heroic bus drivers that used their training and quick thinking to save children’s lives. But when you stop and think about it—aren’t all school bus drivers heroes? Every day they drive a 10-ton vehicle full of 50-80 of what we consider our most precious treasures. They do this through rain, snow, sleet, or shine into all kinds of traffic, all while maintaining control and order through a tiny, rearview mirror. Regardless, each day our children are safely delivered to and from school. How many of us can actually say that we hold the lives of 50+ people in the palm of our hands each and every day?

Most people don’t realize a school bus driver’s importance. School bus drivers develop a relationship with each and every child, and can make or break a student’s day, as they are often the first and last authority figure outside of the home children see each day. Bus drivers are sometimes the first line of defense for dangerous situations at school. Through these formed relationships, they can tell when something is out of the norm and alert schools to potentially threatening situations such as: fights, bullying, weapons, etc.

I once heard school bus drivers being compared to pilots. Can you imagine if pilots were required to fly a plane while also ensuring that passengers behaved appropriately, wore their seatbelts, and stayed in their seats? However, this is exactly what school bus drivers do each and every day.

All of these drivers credit one thing in helping to keep our children safe: their training. School Training Solutions (STS) offers quality online training that is both affordable and convenient and designed to meet state mandated in-service requirements. Over 16 counties in Florida already take advantage of STS courses. Visit their website and see how STS can help you meet your driver training needs: www.schooltrainingsolutions.com.

School bus drivers are more than just drivers. They are everyday heroes, who also play an important role in the education equation.