Zip and Zap? Volt and Watt? Help name PUD’s squirrel mascots

The public utility is taking a vote on names. Squirrels trampled Bigfoot in a vote for the mascot species.

A drawing by Snohomish County PUD employee Lincoln Manahan and his daughter, Kea, submitted with the concept idea for a squirrel mascot. This won’t be the final art for the squirrel marketing. (Submitted photo)

EVERETT — Squirrels and electrical equipment are a bad mix.

That’s why the Snohomish County Public Utility District is making the menacing rascals their mascots.

Expect to see squirrel characters at events and in marketing about electrical safety and forest stewardship.

“It’s not a common mascot in our area, so it gives us an opportunity to be unique,” said Kellie Stickney, a PUD spokesperson.

The public utility is seeking input to name the brother and sister squirrel duo.

Names in the running are: Zip and Zap. Sparky and Watt. Volt and Watt. Stanley and Stella. Douglas (Doug) Fir Squirrel and Ponderosa (Rosa) Pine Squirrel.

Vote through May 31 at snopud.com/mascot.

This is the second part of an earlier PUD community engagement, which was to pick a mascot type to help educate people about electricity. The three contenders were a squirrel, Bigfoot or an inanimate transformer.

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A squirrel trampled ever-popular Bigfoot, billed as a friend of the forest with the strength and agility of a line worker.

“We received a total of 2,359 votes and 1,046 were for a squirrel,” Stickney said.

Employees then came up with over 100 names for the squirrel sibs, which were narrowed to the top five.

“I was blown away by the creativity of our crew members and how people are excited about having these mascots,” Stickney said.

Entergy, a utility company serving states in the southern U.S., called squirrels “the king of the power outages” when it comes to animal-related malfunctions. “Squirrels have taken down the power grid far more times than hackers,” the website says.

This is becoming a boom year for squirrels in Snohomish County.

The Flying Squirrel, an indoor trampoline park, recently opened in the former Toys R Us building across from Everett Mall. The 50,000-square-foot recreational center has climbing walls, an arcade and mini golf.

Novelty seller Archie McPhee, with a store in Seattle and warehouse in Mukilteo, offers a line of about 20 squirrel items. They include tiny underpants for squirrels, unicorn squirrel toys and an enamel pin of a squirrel in a red dress.

It is unknown what the PUD squirrels will be wearing.

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.