Bus Driver Recognized By Sta For ‘Bravery’ Glenn Laurich, Passengers Went ‘Above And Beyond’ To Help Girls At Burning House

Glenn Laurich’s work days are usually quite similar. As a bus driver for the Spokane Transit Authority, he watches people get on the bus and off as he circles familiar routes through the city.

But on Dec. 12, Laurich made an unscheduled stop.

Just after 8 p.m., he was driving his usual route down Mission. After he turned onto Napa, passenger Earl Wert noticed a large fire about a block away at Crestline and Sharp.

Just one other passenger, Paul Umbaugh, was on the bus.

Laurich phoned the emergency into the dispatch center, which then called 911. He circled the block to examine the scene and found a building engulfed in flames.

Laurich and his two passengers wasted no time offering their assistance. STA trains their drivers in basic first aid and they are certified in CPR.

“We just wanted to make sure everyone was safe,” the 11-year bus driver said. “I didn’t think there was anything special about it.”

Laurich said he once experienced a fire that wiped out the upper level of his home.

“I know how devastating it can be,” he said.

Laurich saw two girls fighting the fire with garden hoses. There was an empty wheelchair on the sidewalk. When the men asked if anyone was still inside, the girls responded, “Grandpa’s still upstairs.”

The trio entered the building to search for the man, but turned back when the smoke got too thick.

Back outside, they found the man had been brought outside. Everyone was safe. The fire was out.

About that time, Laurich heard sirens approaching. Not wanting the bus to get blocked in by the fire engines, he and his passengers escaped into the night.

Last week, Laurich was commended for “bravery above and beyond the call of duty” at an STA board meeting. Though he and the other men didn’t have to rescue anyone or extinguish the fire, “the intent was there,” said Kim Stone, director of operations at STA. “And that was worthy of recognition.”

An STA incident report noted, “Operator Laurich never did lose any time on his run or inconvenience other passengers due to schedule failure.”

Wert, 50, is a regular passenger on the route. Like Laurich, he shies from accolades, shrugging off the good deed as an every-day occurrence.

“We didn’t do anything,” Wert said. “It’s what everyone should do.”