Ivan and West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21

Some time ago, a good friend Theadora Harding, informed me that West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21 had decided to adopt Ivan the Gorilla as their mascot.  I reached out to Fire Chief Jim Sharp to inquire if my uncle Ron Irwin and I could visit the Fire Station for a photo with the crew.

Upon our arrival, the firefighters showed us the Ivan artwork that is present on the Ladder 21 and Medic 21 vehicles.  The logo was applied to their T-shirts as well!  After taking many pictures of the logo, I turned to notice that each firefighter had changed into their formal uniforms, complete with badges for this picture with us.  This may be standard procedure to them, but to me it felt special.  After sharing some funny Ivan stories, the Fire Chief recalled that some of the crew from back in the day had developed a plan to rescue Ivan if there was ever a fire at the B&I.  He could not recall the details, but I intend to find out if any literature exists!

With countless periodicals, novels and even Disney movie, I am still shocked that this one gorilla was able to do so much in his 50 years of life.  His legend still continues to thrive 12 years after his passing.

Always support these brave heroes that choose to support us when we need them the most. You can make a donation through West Pierce CARES, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operated by the employees of West Pierce Fire & Rescue.