Every time an alarm sounds, Billings firefighter Patrick Branger dons his fire-retardant bunker gear and slips into large leather boots. But the bulky footwear doesn’t compare to the shoes he fills in his other job as Pattycakes the clown. Branger is a recent addition to the Billings Fire Department but has more than a decade of clowning experience. He started clowning at 10 and dreamed about running away with the circus. He diligently practiced and performed while developing Pattycakes as an Auguste clown, the troublemaking character among the three traditional clown personas. Pattycakes Branger dominated the recent clown competition at the 2016 conference of the Pacific Northwest Shrine Association hosted at Al Bedoo Shrine Auditorium. He took first place in five events, and as “Top Banana” took home the traveling trophy for the overall winner. It was his first time in the competition.