A good news story! School bus driver keeps kids safe when intruder gets on bus.

[proud2BlibKansan]

RUSKIN - Sixteen years of being in the driver's seat, never prepared seasoned bus driver Cindy Fullwood for what she encountered down the road on a chilly Wednesday morning.

"First thing I thought was 'oh my God my kids. I have to keep my kids safe,'" Fullwood said.

Fullwood was driving her school bus packed with students on U.S. 301 & Ruth Morris Road in Ruskin area when she says they came face to face with Barry Christopher Martin.

Fullwood said Martin was standing in the middle of the intersection and when she stopped the bus, he asked for a ride.

Fullwood refused, and that's when the unexpected happened.

"He wanted on the bus. He tried to come through the window and I slammed the window," she explained.

She said Martin then climbed on top of the bus and got in through a top vent. Hillsborough County deputies said he sat down and asked Fullwood to drive him down the road.

Quickly and calmly, she ordered all of the kids off the bus through the back door exit.

more . . . http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/ruskin-intruder-enters-two-school-buses-011510

[proteus_lives]

1. Holy hell! That's scary.

Cindy Fullwood is a hero. If I lived in Ruskin, I'd be buying her drinks tonight.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. She is a member of my union

They sent this out in an email.

It's an amazing story, that's for sure.

[proteus_lives]

3. School workers union, I'm assuming?

If you walk past her in some hallway, shake her hand!

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Not my local, the national union

AFT

[donco6]

5. I have 30 drivers, and I'd bet they would all do the same thing.

They are trained CONSTANTLY. They're amazing.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. They really do take good care of the kids

My hat's off to all of our bus drivers!

[roguevalley]

11. my pa would. bus drivers are unsung workers. Good for her, the honey.

[Roon]

13. When I lived in rural Iowa when I was 5-years-old

one of my bus drivers was a cop and used to wear his uniform while he drove bus. No gun though.

[jwirr]

7. What did the intruder want?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. It doesn't say

Sounds like he was just crazy.

[jwirr]

9. That must be it. No sane person would attack a bus load of children.

I have seen drunks stand in the middle of the road trying to stop city buses though.

[Prometheus Bound]

10. "He asked Fullwood to drive him down the road."

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Sounds like he confused the bus with a cab

[renate]

12. bless her heart

Kids are not always polite and respectful to their bus drivers. My son is a very nice kid, yet I was embarrassed to find out that he usually doesn't thank the bus driver when he gets off the bus. Peer pressure, I guess. And kids' behavior can certainly be a lot worse than failing to say "thank you."

Bus drivers have a hard (maintaining discipline) and often thankless (see above) job. She is wonderful.

:loveya: