Cutler Bay is all too familiar with natural disasters. When Hurricane Andrew raged through South Florida in 1992, much of the city was swept away by the tidal surge. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina dropped 20 inches of rain in some neighborhoods, making conditions so bad that first responders were unable to reach people who needed help or transport basic supplies like water and ice.

The town is now better prepared. That’s because the town manager and public works director recognized the need for emergency response vehicles that could make it through the floods to carry supplies to residents in need.

Typical emergency response vehicles can cost upwards of $300,000 and are expensive to maintain, which put them out of reach for Cutler Bay. Due to some creative brainstorming by Town Manager Steven Alexander and Public Works Director Ralph Casals, some alternative vehicles were identified.

Cutler Bay approached Miami-Dade County to purchase five surplus buses. The buses were an ideal alternative. With their extra-high platforms, they could pass through the flood waters that stranded other vehicles, and they could navigate other obstacles in the roads like fallen tree branches and debris remaining after a storm. The buses have ample room for emergency personnel and large equipment that pickup trucks can’t accommodate. If residents need to be evacuated, the buses can safely transport plenty of people in one trip, avoiding the trouble and danger of sending trucks and utility vehicles back and forth through inclement weather or treacherous areas.

Through a collaboration with the school board and an agreement that Cutler Bay wouldn’t “flip” the school buses—sell them at a profit—the town purchased the five school buses, which typically auction for $15,000 to $25,000 each, for a mere $10 each. The town removed seats to add cargo space and painted the interiors and exteriors with the same durable mold-resistant paint used on airplanes. The buses were then supplied with portable generators, chain saws, traffic cones, stop signs, and barricades.

Although the town hopes that the buses will be needed only for parades and demonstrations, if a hurricane is heading toward Cutler Bay, the staff plans to stock buses with emergency supplies such as water, food, blankets, tarps, and plywood to distribute to residents. With the abundance of space provided by the roomy 70-passenger and 20-passenger buses, the first responders can transport the same volume of cargo that would require several pickup trucks and save time in situations when minutes are precious.