Former Lloydminster City councillor Aaron Buckingham has been named fire chief for the Lloydminster Fire Department.
On Monday, Buckingham stepped away from his civic seat at City Hall, to helm the Border City’s firefighting outfit.
He brings 25-years of service as a firefighter with his most recent role being as deputy fire chief with the RM of Britannia department.
The Lloydminster Charter does not permit a sitting councillor to be employed with the city. Buckingham has served two-terms on council dating back to 2016.
“My roles in municipal government and community fire service are two of the great passions in my life and when the opportunity to lead the Lloydminster department arose, I found myself at a personal and professional crossroad,” says Buckingham. “My Council colleagues have inspired me deeply and I hope they have found my contributions over the past seven years to be meaningful and productive. I humbly thank Lloydminster residents for their faith in me as an elected official and hope they will extend to me their trust and support as fire chief.”
With the departure of former fire chief Leigh Sawicki in September, the city started a search for its new top fire officer.
“Aaron Buckingham brings a wealth of technical knowledge and a rounded understanding of the Lloydminster community; traits this Council and Administration value in their organizational leaders,” says mayor Gerald Aalbers. “Though we will miss his perspectives and insights as a councillor, we have every confidence Aaron will continue to advance our shared mission to shape a safe and resilient Lloydminster in this new capacity.”
Buckingham has held volunteer positions with the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce and the Border City Rotary Club. Currently, he is the Zone 8 director of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association.
