CHIEF PACKER MEMORIAL

A memorial service to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Line of Duty death of East Pierce Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Dan Packer is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 26th at East Pierce Fire & Rescue headquarters station, located at 18421 Old Buckley Hwy, in Bonney Lake.

Packer died Saturday, July 26, 2008 while fighting a California wildfire. Packer had been deployed to the Panther Fire south of Happy Camp in Siskiyou County in northern California to assume a supervisory position in the firefighting effort. Packer was a member of a Washington State-based incident management team and was deployed to major incidents, most frequently large wildland fires.

The public is invited to attend the memorial. Guests are encouraged to park at Pierce Transit's Park & Ride facility located at 184th Ave E and Sky Island Dr E in Bonney Lake. A free shuttle to and from the fire station will be provided.

In honor of Packer, City of Bonney Lake Mayor Neil Johnson will dedicate a newly constructed pond, water fountain and bench. Also dedicated during the ceremony will be the Chief Dan Packer Walk of Honor to pay tribute to firefighters, emergency services personnel and citizens who have volunteered their time and service to the community. Refreshments will be provided immediately after the ceremony. In addition, anyone is welcome to celebrate Chief Packer's life by contributing stories, memories and photographs at www.mem.com.

East Pierce Fire and Rescue serves a population of approximately 75,000 living in and around Bonney Lake, Sumner, Lake Tapps, the Ridge Communities, South Prairie, Wilkeson. The district covers approximately 142 square miles and protects residents from eleven stations - five staffed and six volunteer. All career and volunteer firefighters are also either paramedics or emergency medical technicians (EMTs), responding to fire, rescue and medical emergencies.