The University of Victoria says they have fully implemented every recommendation in a report that followed a fatal bus crash nearly two years ago.
In June 2019, two students were killed and several others were injured when their field trip bus slid off the road near Port Alberni and down an embankment.
Following the accident that claimed the lives of students Emma Machado and John Geerdes, UVic commissioned a report from consultant Ross Cloutier.
Cloutier’s report contained 43 recommendations, including guidance for future field trips, such as:
- The University should ensure that all future trips to the Bamfield Marine Sciences School (BMSC) travel and arrive during daylight hours
- The University should require the collection of emergency contact information for each student
- Exploring options for alternatives to charter bus transportation for students, and look into a “pilot car” program for transport from Port Alberni to BMSC
- The University should review its communication protocols for BMSC field schools and provide telephone technology when possible.
The report also noted that first-person research should be conducted about telephone access on Bamfield Main road. Safety concerns around phone access on remote parts of Vancouver Island have been raised before by First Nations and rural communities.
Highway improvements were announced by the province in September 2020, with a combined $30 million in funding from the provincial government and the Huu-ay-aht First Nation.
“As the president of the University of Victoria, the safety of our students is my top priority,” says UVic President and Vice-Chancellor Kevin Hall.
“Our community will never forget what happened September 13, 2019. We will honour the memories of John and Emma with our commitment to continually improving our student travel and crisis response processes.”
The final report including the full list of 43 recommendations adopted by UVic is available to read online.
