EAGLE RIVER, Wis. – After 40 years of answering calls, comforting patients, and serving the Northwoods community, paramedic Dan Halverson is retiring from
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital and Aspirus MedEvac 91 on July 4.
Over the course of his remarkable career, Halverson estimates he’s responded to over 10,000 ambulance requests, started over 5,000 IVs, helped deliver three babies, and—perhaps most impressively for a Northwoods driver—only hit one deer. Behind those numbers are thousands of moments spent helping people through some of the most difficult days of their lives.
“Dan represents the very best of emergency medical services,” said Julie Williams, Director of Nursing, Aspirus Eagle River Hospital. “His experience, compassion, and commitment have made a difference for countless patients and helped shape the careers of many EMS professionals.”
Halverson's path into EMS began unexpectedly. While working in the auto parts industry, he volunteered as a practice patient for local EMT classes. The experience sparked a curiosity about emergency medicine and what he could do to help others during a crisis. He became a volunteer EMT in 1986, served in that role for eight years, and joined the hospital full-time in 1993. He later earned his paramedic certification in 2009.
“I never imagined I'd be doing this for 40 years,” Halverson said. “One thing led to another, and I found a job I truly loved.”
During his career, Halverson witnessed dramatic changes in emergency medicine. When he started, EMS providers had limited equipment and often focused on quickly transporting patients to the hospital. Today, paramedics can perform advanced assessments and treatments in the field, stabilizing patients before transport. While technology changed, one thing never did.
“The relationship with patients is still the most important part,” Halverson said. “You build trust, listen to their stories, and get to know families over the years.”
Having spent his entire EMS career in Eagle River, Halverson became deeply connected to the community he served. He has treated multiple generations of the same families and often recognizes patients he first met as children.
“It's like an extended family,” he said. “You get to know people, watch families grow, and become part of the community.”
One of the most rewarding parts of the job, he said, has been seeing patients recover and reconnect years later.
“No plaque or award means as much as someone stopping you in a grocery store and saying thank you,” Halverson said. “That's what stays with you.”
Known among coworkers for his sense of humor, Halverson believes laughter can be as important as medicine. Whether helping a nervous patient relax or brightening a colleague's day, he has long relied on a smile and a joke to ease stressful situations.
As he reflected on four decades of service, Halverson expressed gratitude for the coworkers, patients, and community members who became friends along the way. “What I'll miss most is the people,” he said.
Halverson's legacy extends beyond emergency calls and patient care. At both Aspirus Eagle River Hospital and Howard Young Medical Center, he created the legendary “People Catcher's Club” display cases, showcasing fishing lures and hooks removed from patients during Northwoods fishing seasons. The displays have become a favorite conversation piece among staff and visitors alike.
As he enters retirement, Halverson plans to spend more time traveling, camping, tackling projects around the house, and enjoying life with family and friends. His impact will be measured not only by the thousands of patients he treated, but by the countless lives he touched along the way.