Eight Ocean Safety Officers graduate on Maui with 5th Recruit Class

Eight ocean safety recruits graduated from the Maui Department of Fire & Public Safety, Ocean Safety Bureau’s 5th Recruit Class during a commencement held Friday at Fuego’s restaurant in Kahului.

The 12-week Recruit Training Program was led by Ocean Safety Training Captain Zach Edlao and Lieutenant Jon Kaneshina. Recruits were trained and evaluated on the many skills and disciplines necessary to serve the public as an Ocean Safety Officer.

The recent graduates will be assigned to current lifeguarded beaches throughout Maui County.

Graduating recruits include: Liane Mickey, Haley Kalama, Leyla Anderson, Ginger Prados, Anthony Cappadona, Tristan Kasprzycki, Ozzie Clarke and Alex King.

Each recruit was presented with a certificate of completion by Assistant Fire Chief Hanalei Lindo, and Ocean Safety Operations Manager Cary Kayama.

Three of four class awards were issued to Tristan Kasprzycki for finishing at the top of the class in respective categories including Academics, Athletics and the Most Outstanding Recruit awards. Kasprzycki was honored with the following:

• Academics Award for the highest scholastic average on all written course examinations administered throughout the training program.
• Athletic Award for the recruit who demonstrated high athletic and functional skills assessments throughout the training program.
• Most Outstanding Recruit for excelling in every phase of recruit training, and demonstrated outstanding leadership ability, projected an exceptional attitude, and led their class in physical, academic and functional performance.

The Surf 50 Award was issued to Liane Mickey. The award was named in honor of the late Ocean Safety Officer, Randy Hillen, this award honors the true passion and ocean safety spirit that Hillen was so 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 towards others, and to the ocean safety profession.