(Submitted photo/City of Lloydminster)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Work improvement

Border City celebrates grand opening of new fire hall

Aug 24, 2022 | 2:00 PM

Lloydminster’s Fire Department finally celebrated the opening of the newly built Station No. 1

The department hosted the ceremony on Tuesday at the new $10-million station, which firefighters had moved into back in May. Construction on the project, funded by the Governments of Canada and both Alberta and Saskatchewan, began in the Border City back in early 2021. The city provided $5.7 million in borrowed funds, and the Protective Services Capital Reserve.

This dates back to an infrastructure needs assessment and engineering study that was part of the municipality’s community facilities report in 2019. One of the key findings was that the former station at 5013 49th Ave.; built in the 1940s, had reached the end of its serviceable life and council approved the construction of the new station in April 2020.

“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,” Fire Chief Leigh Sawicki said in a media release.

The health, safety and well-being of firefighters was considered in the design of the two-storey, 16,522 square foot building, just over two times the size of the original structure. It has areas specifically designed for bunker gear storage, a room for cleaning and drying equipment and gear, allowing firefighters to ensure no cross contamination occurs in the rest of the building.

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Integrated into the facility is a four-storey training structure with three deck levels, including interior stairs, sprinkler props, standpipe props to simulate high-rise buildings, and technical rope rescue. The building’s exterior includes a balcony for practicing aerial ladder rescue and the station also features a modern training room and additional space for local and regional outdoor 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 practice,” Sawicki said.

The administrative side of Station No. 1 is 9,364 square feet, with the apparatus side being an additional 7,168. Staffing for the fire department consists of two chief officers, one administrative assistant, one training officer and 48 suppression firefighters, consisting of both full and part-time members.

“[The station] will provide public safety services and meet the [city’s] needs and growth demands for years to come,” Mayor Gerald Aalbers added in the release.

In 2021, service demands increased by 17 per cent, with alarm calls representing approximately 34 per cent of those calls.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

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