If you’re in an emergency you would call 911, which makes sense as the system is designed to take your call and dispatch someone quickly to aid you.
There’s the fire department, ambulance service and police. They can all be sent out to assist you depending on your emergency.
If you end up in a truly precarious position needing specialized help, that’s where rescue squads come in.
Lloydminster’s rescue squad started through humble beginnings, people wanting to give their time and help out.
In 1984, the squad was comprised of six members: Don Whiting, Norm Namur, Ted Skinner, Graham Howie, Syd Cox and Brian Crockett. That same year, they began a rebuild of a 550-tool truck that was donated by Mobil Oil.
They were on-call for the first time in March of 1985, and over 40 years later, (yes it’s been that long, I know, hard to believe,) the group is still entirely volunteer-based. As part of the services the squad provides in the rural municipalities, they also added two paid positions in 2013, chief and deputy chief.
In their first year, the squad attended six calls. Eventually, the squad expanded, and they acquired new equipment thanks to help from the community.
In 2018 they responded to over 100 calls. The growth from where they started is quite striking. The group was clearly needed and was filling a void in Lloydminster.
In an excerpt from Bordering on Greatness, it talks about Don Whiting and how he would travel to schools and organizations stressing preventative measures such as using a seatbelt and not drinking and driving. He even had graphic photos of injury and death at accident scenes. He hoped seeing them would save a life.
I found the photography aspect the most interesting. I have vivid memories of being young and seeing photos and videos of accidents due to some form of negligence. I am someone who is more easily influenced by photographs of graphic scenes to the point where I will always wear my seatbelt no matter what and never have a drink before getting into the car, not that I drink anyway.
The Lloydminster Rescue Squad has been doing a lot of good for the community for decades, and at the end of this column I’d like to thank all the brave first responders and people who volunteer their time to ensure we live a safer life.
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