Lloydminster Fire Rescue (LFR) is expanding its role through Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) Medical First Response (MFR) program.
According to city staff, under the Medical First Response program, LFR works collaboratively with AHS to provide pre-hospital care in the community. LFR will not profit from its agreement to participate in the program.
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However, AHS provides financial support to offset some training and patient care costs. Departments can also apply for an annual training and equipment grant. Across the province, AHS allocated $3.85 million in 2023/24 to support MFR agencies.
After a recent fire department rebranding, city staff noted the cost to change the name of the service will be approximately $8,500.
Lloydminster city council approved the expenditure in last year’s budget and LFRs will slowly phase in the new identity over time. They plan to update public-facing items such as apparatus decals and uniform crests first.
In 2024, firefighters responded to roughly 1,250 calls for service. Officials expect approximately 1,500 calls in 2025, including medical co-response calls, representing a roughly 300-call increase per year, or about one extra call per day.
With two staffed stations, the department says it can manage the additional workload. The department expects most of the new response calls to be on the Alberta side. The funding structure reflects this change.
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