Joe Meier said he has always wanted to be a firefighter. Born and raised in Cadillac, Mich., he knew from a very young age he wanted to provide a service to his community.
“I always loved fire trucks,” Mr. Meier said. “My grandfather was a firefighter in Cincinnati. In high school, I saw a firefighter poster advertising Lake Superior State University, and I knew what my career was going to be.”
Mr. Meier moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to attend college at LSSU. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fire science and an associate degree in paramedic technology.
“I worked as a paid on-call and volunteer firefighter for around six years and as a paramedic for four years,” Mr. Meier said. “I wanted to do more than stabilize a patient on scene, so I decided to continue my medical education.”
Mr. Meier and his wife, Hannah, and their three children, Cecilia, Lewis, and Annelise, moved to Toledo in 2023. He is now attending school at the University of Toledo, studying to become a physician assistant.