PHOTOS: Waterville firefighter Ryan Johnston embraces the fact that those in his profession cannot work remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Johnston, 48, founded MAINE-IAC Training a half-dozen years ago after local fire departments learned of his unique extrication class. Now, more than ever, the region’s often short-staffed departments look to get the most out of whom they’ve got, and that’s where Johnston’s business comes in.
“One of the things to remember during COVID is that the fires don’t stop, emergencies don’t stop,” Johnston said. “We’ve got to keep our firefighter skills as sharp as we can, so we do it as safely as possible.”
In recent months, MAINE-IAC Training reached a countrywide audience. In November, Johnston published an article in popular outlet Firefighter Nation about firefighting while short staffed. In his article, Johnston wrote about the importance of training with ladder trucks in real-world settings with modern tactics.