By Leila Merrill
FireRescue1/EMS1
VERMILION, Ohio — Vermilion’s fire marshal is recovering after he suffered a medical emergency and crashed his truck into Fire Station 1 on Monday evening.
Fire Marshal Rodney Johnston was arriving for weekly training, lost control of the pickup and crashed it through the front doors of the station, according to a city of Vermilion Facebook post.
Johnston remained conscious, and firefighters and police officers at the station rendered aid.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Fire Chief Bill Brown told the Morning Journal. “But our guys did exactly what they were trained to do.”
There was a delay in finding an available ambulance. Firefighters called on a neighboring department in Vermilion Township.
EMS providers transported Johnston to Mercy Health-Lorain Hospital, Brown said.
The station sustained approximately $10,000 of damage, Brown said.
“I was also overwhelmed by the VFD and VPD staff at the scene who expressed sincere concern for their long-time colleague. We all wish Fire Marshal Johnston a quick recovery,” the city’s mayor said in the Facebook post.