Two residents who dove into waters in East Honolulu to save a swimmer in distress were among those receiving commendations from the Honolulu Fire Department last week.

Allen Brandimarti and Michael Von Wiegandt were at Sandy Beach when they saw a man without fins dive into waters on the Hanauma Bay end of the beach at nightfall on May 24.

When they realized he was caught in a strong current and heading toward the Halona Blow Hole, they made their way to the cove at the “From Here to Eternity Beach” on the Hanauma Bay side of Halona and dove in to save the swimmer.

Also issued commendations were:

 >> Private citizen Resident Nicole Lucero and off-duty HFD firefighter Clifford Kalae Miller, who assisted a man who collapsed in a restaurant on Dec. 18, 2009. The two performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until emergency responders arrived.

>> Private citizens Residents Norman Kaneshige, Robert Kent, Matthew Nacnac and Victor Santiago who assisted a diver who was caught in a strong current off of Paradise Cove on March 23. They guided the diver to safety before emergency responders arrived.

>> Off-duty firefighter Antoni Valenti who extricated the driver of an overturned tractor trailer on Moanalua Road on June 7. He remained with the person until emergency responders arrived.

>> Private citizen Steven Hu who entered a burning Mililani home on July 1 and used a fire extinguisher to put out a kitchen fire prior to HFD’s arrival.