A Gwinnett County Public Schools bus driver was honored for helping save students from a burning school bus.
District officials said Jose Rivera-Perez, a Special Education Bus Manager at Radloff Middle School, responded quickly on Aug. 12 after hearing that a nearby bus had caught fire.
According to the district, Rivera-Perez was on his way to a crash when he saw the burning bus, pulled over, and began evacuating students alongside the driver, Zebiba Juber. Rivera-Perez then used a fire extinguisher to help put out the flames.
He was honored with the Gwinnett County Rotary Club’s Hidden Hero Award and celebrated at Radloff Middle School during a reception attended by colleagues, families, and friends. Rivera-Perez received a plaque and a $750 check in recognition of his heroism.
“[We are trained] very well,” Rivera-Perez said. “Every year we have good training, and we go through a lot of documentation.”
“The fact that he was able to get into action and help her the way that he did… was amazing,” says GCPS Bus Monitor Rashauna McGowan. “A lot of people can be afraid of fires, but Jose went in, struck it fast, and got the job done.”
