9 minute read
Response and recovery
by Kate Noet
Fire Chief Mike Johnson set to retire after decades of emergency service
By annie gRanlUnD annie.granlund@apgsomn.com
Some people are just simply born to serve, and Mike Johnson fits exactly that definition. after 37 years of fighting fires, saving lives, responding to tragedies, and serving his community, Johnson is finally ready to slow things down. though he embodies the resilience and dedication needed for the profession of a firefighter, come May 28, Johnson will be hanging up his leatherhead for good when he retires.
“i’ve been lucky and blessed,” Johnson said. “i am truly thankful that i have been able to work in a job that i thoroughly enjoyed. i never had to
toP: Family is one of the biggest parts of the fire service culture, according to Mike Johnson (second from the right). during his 20-year tenure as the owatonna fire chief, Johnson said he will miss the camaraderie among the firefighters and will undoubtedly worry about them every time he hears a siren. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)
Mike Johnson’s first job as a first responder was as a paramedic. he served as a paramedic in the u.S.army, as an intern for the Chicago Fire department, and for North ambulance in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)
“i’ve been lucky and blessed. i am truly thankful that i have been able to work in a job that i thoroughly enjoyed. i never had to grow up, the only difference now is that the tonka trucks i played with when i was a kid were a lot cheaper than the million-dollar trucks i play with now – but i still get to play with them.”
- Mike Johnson
grow up, the only difference now is that the tonka trucks i played with when i was a kid were a lot cheaper than the million-dollar trucks i play with now – but i still get to play with them.” to start his career in service, Johnson enlisted in the U.S. army in 1977 as a medical specialist providing emergency medical care and advanced life support. Once he left the army and received his associate’s degree in emergency medical care and rescue, he interned for a year with the Chicago Fire Department as a paramedic, later serving as a paramedic for north ambulance in Faribault. in 1984, Johnson officially became a firefighter with the Faribault Fire Department, eventually working his way up to captain. after 17 years in Faribault, Johnson applied for the fire chief position at the Owatonna Fire Department, officially coming on board in May 2001 and then tacking on the title of Steele County emergency management director just a few months later. His experiences in the area encompasses anything and everything, from evacuating an entire town following a derailed train to extinguishing raging fires in subzero weather to navigating through the unprecedented COViD-19 pandemic.
But with every long journey there was first a beginning, and for Johnson it dates all the way back to his childhood north of the twin Cities.
the first spark
though Johnson claims the Faribault fire chief at the time had to “convince” him to apply for that open position, deep down he knows it had always been written in the stars for him to put on that bunker gear.
“in the back of my mind, i always knew i was going to be a firefighter,” Johnson said with a smile as he reminisced about growing up with a volunteer firefighter for a father. “like most kids i took great pride in my dad being a firefighter, and when he got a call for a fire i would jump on my CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
1977-1980: Medical specialist with the U.S. Army, providing emergency medical care and advanced life support.
1982-1986: Paramedic with North Ambulance in Faribault, providing emergency medical response and advanced life support as well as implementing training courses for emergency medical technicians.
1984-2001: Firefighter for the Faribault Fire Department, promoted to captain in 1995. Running incident command and responsible for emergency operations. Also serving as emergency medical services coordinator, fire prevention coordinator, training officer, emergency preplan coordinator, arson investigator, and fire inspection program coordinator.
1987: Recipient of the Rice County Firefighter of the Year award.
2001-present: Fire chief
for Owatonna Fire Department and emergency management director for both Owatonna and Steele County. Providing direction and leadership to four commanders, four fire equipment operators, 26 part-time firefighters and one administrative assistant. Responsible for development, implementation and training of the Steele County Emergency Operating Plan.
2005: Recipient of the Minnesota Outstanding Emergency Management Official.
other successes:
Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association Board of Directors, Minnesota State Fire Department Association Board of Directors, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Board of Directors, past president of Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers, Owatonna Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Board of Directors, past president of River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.
on his first day as a firefighter for the Faribault Fire department in 1984, Mike Johnson said the training consisted of gearing up and getting to action. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)
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Sting-Ray with the banana seat and race him to the address.” it wasn’t until he was a teenager, however, that Johnson said he knew in his heart that he was meant to be a first responder. When he arrived at his grandfather’s home to discover him in cardiac arrest, Johnson said it was that moment that put his life on the track it has been on ever since.
“i just remember looking at him and thinking how much i love him and don’t want to lose him,” Johnson said, recalling the fire department and paramedics arriving at the home and beginning to resuscitate his grandfather. “to see them save my grandfather, that was it. i knew - i’m going to do this.”
Johnson jokes that he was at that impressionable age where it was about time you figure out what you’re going to do with your life, and since the Rolling Stones weren’t looking for Mick Jagger’s replacement and a career as a pitcher in Major league Baseball was looking questionable, firefighting seemed like the more compatible fit. But with joking aside, Johnson had a well-thought out plan on exactly how he would achieve his goals.
“the way for me to do it was the military,” Johnson said, knowing if he enlisted in the army they would pay for the schooling he needed to become a career first responder.
Fanning the flames
Over the years, the last 20 of which have been spent in Owatonna, Johnson said he has experienced the truth found inside every fire hall: a culture of family.
Mike Johnson joined the u.S. army fresh out of high school with the goal of using the army’s ability to pay for schooling that would make him a certified paramedic. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)
- Mike Johnson
“the fire service is very special in the way we form this family,” Johnson said. “not only do we really take care of our fellow firefighters, but we get a lot of support from our community, too.” leaning on each other is highly important in firefighter culture, specially because of the amount of tragic calls Johnson said they are bound to take. Working in a small community can make those calls even more difficult, and according to Johnson, the anxiety can begin from the moment the radio goes off.
“i remember when my son was very young and he was stung by a bee,” Johnson said, adding that his son was highly allergic to bees. “i remember hearing our address come over the speaker ... you can’t help but constantly worry about your family.”
One can’t blame a career firefighter for worrying about their loved ones, especially considering the devastating calls that are unavoidable with the work. Johnson said it’s a difficult part of the job for all first responders, and that the emotional trauma experienced over the years never truly goes away.
“When you’re focused on saving lives and property, in order to do those things effectively there is no time to get emotional,” Johnson said. “i hate to say it, but you really have to learn to cry on the inside. You know you can’t save everyone, so even in those bad situations you have to continue to try to do good things.”
the last call
For Johnson, he was able to find solace through the support of his wife theresa and a passion for various art forms. He said finding outlets like his photography and art is crucial for all first responders in order to learn to deal with the hardships that come with the job.
“everyone wants to come save lives,” Johnson said. “But when someone wants to be a firefighter, what it truly involves is time and the ability to respond to all different types of difficult situations. it’s hard to always be in a state of readiness, but it’s part of what we do.”
“i am leaving my career feeling blessed and lucky,” he added. “it truly has been a good experience, but the story for me doesn’t end here. i spent a good portion of my life doing this and i have a bucket list i’m ready to tackle. it’s time to turn the page and make as many memories as i can.”
Johnson
Reach Reporter Annie Granlund at 507-444-2378 or follow her on Twitter @OPPAnnie. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota.
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