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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Greg Eckart got a congratulatory hug from friend Karen Neal after receiving one of several certificates of commendation presented to firefighters and civilians by Fire Chief Manuel P. Neves during a ceremony Thursday at the Charles H. Thurston Fire Training Center. Eckart, then an off-duty firefighter recruit, was honored for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a person experiencing cardiac arrest, prior to the arrival of other emergency workers.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The Honolulu Fire Department awarded Rocky Canon, left, and Kekoa Pahia with certificates of commendation for aiding an unresponsive snorkeler in waters fronting Turtle Bay Resort on Jan. 23.
Six civilians, including a school counselor who rescued a boy who fell six floors in a trash chute last year, and three firefighters were honored Thursday for saving the lives of people.
A certificate of commendation was presented to Dan Kaetsu, who the Fire Department said "acted quickly and resourcefully" by using a fire cabinet hose line to rescue a trapped child from an apartment trash chute before firefighters arrived on Oct. 6.
In an interview after the incident, Kaetsu, 29, a Red Hill Elementary School counselor, said the 8-year-old boy had fallen down the trash chute from the eighth floor of Salt Lake Manor at 2977 Ala Ilima St. He landed in trash that had piled up to the second floor.
Kaetsu said he broke the glass box containing the fire hose and sent one end of the hose down the chute. With the boy clinging to the hose, Kaetsu was able to pull him up to the eighth floor. The boy sustained only minor injuries.
The Fire Department said it honored others who "have subjected themselves to personal risk by performing exceptional acts of service or bravery." The individuals are:
» Off-duty firefighter Jared Kimbler, who on Dec. 8 rescued a swimmer from high surf at Mokuleia Beach before firefighters arrived.
» Off-duty firefighter recruit Greg Eckart, who on Jan. 18 performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a person experiencing cardiac arrest prior to HFD’s arrival.
» Off-duty firefighter Makaniokealoha Stanley, who on Jan. 19 performed CPR on a person experiencing cardiac arrest before the HFD’s arrival.
» Civilians Richard Caldwell, Rocky Canon, Kekoa Pahia, Danielle Caldwell and Tatiana Kai, who on Jan. 23 worked together to bring an unresponsive swimmer to shore and performed CPR before fire department personel arrived.
Fire Chief Manuel P. Neves presented the certificates during a ceremony at the Charles H. Thurston Fire Training Center at 890 Valkenburgh St.
