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By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
The 83rd Honolulu Fire Department Recruit class takes
its pledge during ceremonies at the Pacific Beach
Hotel last night.

Recruits fired up
about careers

The latest crop includes
the sons of four current
Honolulu firefighters

---

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

As a graduate of the Honolulu Fire Department's largest-ever recruit class, Jeris Ching is following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Dennis Ching, Jeris' father, is captain of the Kuakini Station ladder company and the son of Lorrin Ching, who retired as a fire captain at the Kalihi Uka station.

"My father and grandfather are very soft-spoken and there was never any pressure from them to join," said Jeris, a 25-year-old Kamehameha Schools graduate .

"I know they're very proud of this. I guess it's like a tradition now."

Dennis Ching thinks it's a first for the department.

"Three generations," he said. "I can't recall any others."

Jeris Ching was among the 71 members of the Fire Department's 83rd Recruit Class who received their badges last night in ceremonies at the Pacific Beach Hotel.

The class includes three other sons of Honolulu firefighters: Jeffrey Gasco, son of Administrative Battalion Chief Peter Gasco; Kawika Smith, son of Mililani Mauka engine company Capt. Ronald Smith; and Adam Enos III, son of Battalion Chief Adam Enos Jr.

The 83rd Recruit Class has 71 graduates, Soo said.

The December 1999 opening of new stations in Mililani Mauka and Waikele and the addition of new apparatus created manpower needs, which the department is addressing with the large recruit class, he added.

The 83rd Recruit Class includes Karin Hansen, the first woman to join the department since 1996.

Malcolm Medrano won the "Top Gun Award" as the most outstanding recruit in this year's class.

Others cited were Eric Boyles, top scholar, and Brandon Sardinha, Michael Akau and Ronald Kamakaiwi for outstanding functional skills.