BTA donates bus for fire training
The Butler Transit Authority donated a retired bus for firefighter training.
The Butler County Fire Chiefs Association coordinated the donation through Butler County Community College. The bus was used at a fire school held at Krill Recycling in Fenelton where 15 students practiced extrication techniques on a type of vehicle they don't often have access to.
The Gillig brand bus was replaced in the spring when the authority obtained three new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses from Gillig.
The authority marked its 30th anniversary in April, celebrating its fleet of CNG-powered buses providing commuter service to Pittsburgh and local routes. According to the authority, a daily average of 110 people ride the commuter buses, while an average of 570 people ride local buses.
The garage where buses are repaired and maintained has recently undergone a $2.4-million upgrade needed for mechanics to safely work on the authority's 11 CNG buses.The donated bus was used in one of five instructional firefighter courses held in early June. The 16-hour bus rescue course trained emergency personnel on how to handle accidents and fires involving various types of buses, with a special emphasis on the safety procedures for rescuing victims from buses.Other courses included in the 2019 Butler County Fire School were sessions on structure fires, basic fire fighting, pump operations and fire officer training.
