Jeff Sims, Paramedic at UP Health System – Marquette.

What is your role at UPHS – Marquette?
I am a Paramedic at UP Health System – Marquette.

What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?
My father was a Firefighter/MFR, so I grew up around the fire hall. Being around that during my childhood made me realize I wanted to join the field, too.

What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field?
A typical day starts at 6 a.m. with checking our ambulance and all the equipment to make sure it’s good to go. From there, we catch up on office work and education between emergency calls.

How long have you been employed here? Have you always been in the same position?

I have been employed here in the same role for about 6 years. I had previously been employed at Bell Hospital for many years as a Paramedic, then the two EMS services merged into one when UP Health System formed.

What are some of the big changes you have experienced in this position? 

EMS is an evolving field. We are always updating protocols at the state level, so we are constantly training so that we can take on new skills and administer different medications. Over the past few years, our service area has greatly expanded to fill in coverage previously managed by local volunteer ambulance services.

What are some of your interests outside of work? What is your favorite local gem?
I’m married, and we have two kids, so that keeps us busy. We live on an all seasons lake, so we fish all year long and love boating — even though the boating season isn’t too long up here! I also like to travel as much as possible.

What do you enjoy most about working at UPHS – Marquette?
We have a good team of dedicated, hard-working people. I deal with many different units within the hospital for my job, whether I’m bringing in emergency patients or transporting patients between facilities, and everyone is a pleasure to work with.