Out of the frying pan, into the fire

Johnston has spent his career devoted to analyzing disaster and coping with stress. As a professional engineer, he worked in failure analysis for more than 20 years, often trying to uncover why normal products break in abnormal ways. As a firefighter, he responds to a full array of tragedies. As an individual looking for a challenge, he has participated in grueling stress tests for the military, NASA and other similar agencies.

"My friends often point out that I've had such a condensed exposure to tragic and unfortunate events - things that have broken that shouldn't have and all kinds of bizarre accidents," says Johnston. "Through such exposures, I am constantly reminded of how mortal we are. It is also a reminder to enjoy life on a daily basis"

It is this outlook that has helped Johnston adjust to change in his life, both professionally and personally.

His engineering career started at McDonnell Douglas Canada Ltd. where he worked in quality assurance and failure analysis on commercial and military aircraft.

Johnston says failure analysis involves identifying the origin and cause of a failure and any associated contributing factors. The information is then used to initiate corrective action and prevent recurrence of the problem. Failure analysis techniques are used to discover the causes of major catastrophic events such as the space shuttle accidents, plane crashes and structural collapses. In some cases, failure analysis of potential defects will lead to product and/or vehicle recalls.

In 1991, Johnston joined Walters Forensic Engineering, performing motor vehicle accident reconstruction and failure analysis. He analyzed a broad spectrum of components from broken pipes and gears to sophisticated turbine blades, hip replacements and chemical plant components. Because of his education and years of experience he was qualified to give testimony in court as an expert witness.

One of his greatest challenges was yet to come.

Johnston and his wife, Meg (Borden) Johnston (BA'84), met as students at Western, married in 1989 and started a family in Burlington.

"I think coping with change really came when we had our first child," says Meg. "He has ultimately been diagnosed with Autism, but at first we just knew we had a very busy child on our hands."

After their second child was born, Johnston began to contemplate a career change. He wanted something that would improve the busy family's lifestyle, freeing up more time to be at home with his sons and allowing his wife more time to focus on her career as a specialist representative in the pharmaceutical industry.

Just as he did for years with airplanes and motor vehicle accidents, Johnston analyzed the situation and came up with a solution.

He had been volunteering for four years as a firefighter in Burlington, and knew the line of work would be something that would interest him. He applied to be a firefighter in Toronto and got hired.

"I did it for my son but I also did it for myself," says Johnston. "You see yourself approaching middle age, sitting at a desk, gaining a bit of weight. I was ready for a challenge."

A challenge would be an understatement. Johnston now divides his time between his family, firefighting and consulting as an engineer. On top of all that, he signs up for punishing physical tests that push him to the limit.

Over the past few years he has been a voluntary "guinea pig" for several studies including the heat stress placed a firefighter, and a short study for the Canadian Space Agency and NASA regarding decompression aspects of space walks necessary for astronauts working on the space station. The studies generally involve a measure of one's response to operating in harsh environments. It was common to don full gear and heavy equipment and operate in a 40-degree Celsius humid oven for extended periods to identify heat stress responses. Tests like these eventually result in improved gear and equipment for soldiers and firefighters.

As if that was not enough, he has worked with 1st Unit Fire and Safety, a unique and specialized firm that provides fire equipment and fire suppression to "Hollywood North." Through their expertise, they are able to operate seemingly invisibly amidst the cameras and equipment of a movie set.Yet they can also provide a screen full of fire trucks, ladders and firefighters at the director's discretion. Some of the movies and TV shows Johnston has been on set for include Assault on Precinct 13, The Grid, and Rexx the Firehouse Wonder Dog.

What challenges are still to come for Johnston? He is looking into Engineers Without Borders, an organization that works to support countries by giving them technologies to improve the residents' lives. "It might be difficult with the family dynamic at the moment."

If Johnston's past is any predictor of the future, he will find a way to make it work.