22 recruits ready for duty after graduating from firefighter training

On Friday, the Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety and the state Department of Transportation celebrated the graduation of 22 recruits in the 40th firefighter recruit class.

The Maui Fire Department's recruit training program spans 25 weeks, and the program is designed to educate, train and evaluate fire recruits on the many skills and disciplines necessary to serve as a firefighter.

The class was comprised of 22 firefighter trainees including Gabriel Abeytia, Teancum Aiwohi, Samuel Barlahan, Ian Barnes, Connor Baxter, Ernest Black, Robert Cabudol-Apo, Elias Corpuz, Zachary Downey, Brayson Faafiti-Oviedo, Caleb Fuselier, Aaron Guerrero, Per Gutierrez, Kainoah Handy, Davin Iwata, Liam Kahoe-Morrison, Andres Martinez, Peyton Reynolds, Micah Saula, Charles Stein, Andrew Tabisula and Adjin Watson.

According to Maui Fire, 21 newly sworn-in firefighters will be joining the ranks with the department and assigned to Maui County fire stations on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Also, one newly sworn-in firefighter will join the state's Department of Transportation ARFF personnel and be assigned to firefighting duties at airports throughout the state.

Recruits received their badges and took the oath during the graduation ceremony. Each recruit selected a family member to carry out the traditional "Pinning of the Badge," and the ceremony was attended by fire chiefs from both Maui County and State Airports, as well as dignitaries representing the county and the state.

Additionally, a handful of graduating recruits were presented with awards.

Gutierrez won the Academics Award, which is presented to the recruit with the highest scholastic average on all written course examinations administered throughout the training program.

Tabisula won the Functional Skills Award after demonstrating the highest competency in functional skills assessments throughout the training program.

Davin Iwata won the Firefighter Spirit, Ho'ulu Award, which is named in honor of the late Fire Capt. Charles Iwata and honors the passion and firefighter spirit that Capt. Iwata was widely known for. This award is presented to the recruit who displayed a high moral character and exceptional attitude, and whose conduct expresses respect and heart toward others, and to the firefighting profession.

Martinez won the Most Outstanding Overall award. Selected by recruit training officers, this award is presented to the recruit that excelled in every phase of recruit training, demonstrated outstanding leadership ability and projected an exceptional attitude.

Also, Aiwohi and Barlahan won the Outstanding Team award, which is presented to the two-person team that demonstrated the ability to work through hands-on drills expediently and efficiently.