The Lloydminster Fire Department celebrated the opening of their new Fire Station No. 1 on August 23 with a grand opening where they uncoupled two fire hoses instead of a traditional ribbon cutting. The celebration included notable dignitaries, Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright MLA Garth Rowswell, and the City of Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
“Welcome to the grand opening ceremony for the Lloydminster Fire Department’s new Station No. 1. We so appreciate your interest in being here to celebrate this grand opening and to learn how this facility is going to enhance the safety of this community and also enhance the safety of those who protect this community,” commented Leo Pare, communications director for the City of Lloydminster.
The old fire station had an infrastructure needs assessment and an engineering study performed as part of the municipality’s community facilities report and one of the major findings was that the building which was built in the 1940s had reached the end of its serviceable life. The construction of a new station was approved by the Council in April 2020.
“The much-anticipated new station allows the Lloydminster Fire Department to better provide public safety services to the Lloydminster community of over 34,000 people and will meet the City of Lloydminster’s needs and growing demands for years to come,” said Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the new station located at 3752 47 Street was held in April 2021 to kick off the construction of the $10-million enhanced fire station which was funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, and the City of Lloydminster. The Government of Canada contributed $1,294,506.18 through the Canada Community-Building Fund. The Government of Alberta provided $3.2 million. The City of Lloydminster provided $5.7 million, of which $5.3 million is borrowed funds, while $400,000 was provided from the Protective Services Capital Reserve that will be allocated back to the reserve once the land associated with the former station that was located at 5013 49 Avenue is sold.
In designing the new two-storey, 16,522 square foot building which is double the size of the previous building, the health, safety, and well-being of the firefighters were considered in each room and space right down to the corridors. The new Station 1 has areas designed specifically for bunker gear storage, cleaning and drying equipment, and gear so that no cross-contamination can occur in other areas of the building. The building also boasts a modern training room that is equipped with firefighter educational technology as well as a four-storey training structure with three deck levels, that includes interior stairs, sprinkler props, standpipe props that can simulate high-rise buildings and technical rope rescue, while the exterior of the building includes a balcony for practicing aerial ladder rescue.
“The Lloydminster Fire Department’s newly built Station No. 1 is an important addition to the community and will be integral to the safety of our residents, guests, and regional neighbours. Our new location will enhance response times to our community and provide greater onsite training opportunities. These opportunities are integrated into the station through the four-storey training structure, allowing us to continue to meet and exceed industry best practices,” said Leigh Sawicki, Fire Chief, Lloydminster Fire Department