The City of Red Deer administration is adjusting their approach to reducing overtime costs in Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES) as part of implementing the 2026 budget approved by City Council.
In 2024, Red Deer Emergency Services incurred approximately $3.2 million in overtime costs and Council reduced this amount in the 2025 budget. In comparison Lethbridge, had less than $1 million in overtime costs in 2024. In 2025, administration more regularly utilized the management practice of dynamic staffing to meet financial targets and achieve service levels.
Last week, as part of City Council’s approval of the 2026 Budget, $2.8 million was approved for overtime, and The City is aligning its staffing approach to this budget allocation.
Beginning today, dynamic staffing will be paused until 75 per cent of the overtime budget has been used. Once that threshold is reached, dynamic staffing may be reintroduced as needed to ensure the department remains within its approved funding allocation.
“Dynamic staffing is one of the tools available to help manage Emergency Services within its budget,” said Acting Fire Chief Curtis Schaefer. “This adjustment is about exploring another way of balancing financial realities with staff scheduling. I also want to clarify that dynamic staffing was not introduced for the first time in 2025; it has been used previously when operationally required.”
In 2024, dynamic staffing was implemented 84 times, and there were 1,920 overtime shifts. In 2025 (as of November 30), dynamic staffing was implemented 117 times, while overtime shifts decreased by approximately 88 per cent, to 215 shifts, resulting in an estimated $1 million in savings.
“Even with this adjusted approach in 2026, our focus remains on staying within the approved overtime budget,” said Schaefer. “What is changing is how and when dynamic staffing may be used. Dynamic staffing is a practice we use when there are just-in-time absences or when staff are unexpectedly unavailable for overtime. We must always be able to adjust and be flexible, both when people are not available to work and when our budget no longer enables us to call additional staff in. This is a normal part of running a 24/7 emergency service.”
Dynamic staffing has not been discontinued. It remains an operational option that Red Deer Emergency Services may use when needed. However, until 75 per cent of $2.8 million is reached, overtime will be employed first before opting for dynamic staffing.
“We will continue to work closely with the union and with our staff to ensure our operational approaches evolve with the needs of our community, our workforce, and the emergency response environment,” said Schaefer. “As the city grows and changes, our service will grow and change with it. The City makes operational decisions every day to protect public safety, including how apparatus are staffed, how resources are deployed, and how personnel are managed based on availability, call volumes, and financial considerations.”
Regardless of these operational adjustments, service levels remain unchanged. Red Deer Emergency Services continues to target four firefighters on each engine and responds to all structure fires with 17 personnel. This deployment model remains the City’s operational target and is a key component of current service levels.
“Our goal is to staff engines with four firefighters wherever possible,” said Schaefer. “There are circumstances, such as unexpected or short-notice absences, where that may not be achievable, but those situations are actively managed to ensure safe and effective emergency response.”
Today’s update does not change response standards, public safety expectations, or the level of service residents can expect during an emergency.
“In most departments, staffing adjustments like this are a routine part of day-to-day operations balancing the need to meet service levels and budgets,” said City Manager Tara Lodewyk. “Under typical circumstances, we wouldn’t highlight this publicly. Given the level of interest in Emergency Services staffing, we believe it’s important to explain what we’re doing and why. We are open to trying different approaches, monitoring how they work, and adjusting if needed, always with a focus on what’s best for our community and our staff.”
Emergency Services is a significant investment within Red Deer’s operating budget. In 2025, the department accounted for approximately 17 per cent of The City’s total budget, with the average household contributing approximately $28 per month toward Emergency Services through municipal property taxes. This underscores the importance of managing resources responsibly to support long-term service stability.
As part of the 2026 Operating Budget, administration also outlined plans for a full Emergency Services Operational Review. This routine assessment, which is typically conducted every five to seven years, was last completed in 2017 and will examine service levels, staffing models, and operational practices to inform future decisions.
December 15 2025 FAQ Dynamic staffing updates (pdf)