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Two new Ceres firefighters installed
Jeff Serpa promoted as battalion chief
Jeff Serpa
Jeff Serpa is sworn in as a Ceres Fire battalion chief as his wife, Danielle, readies to pin on his badge. Also standing by are their daughters Delaney and Brionna. - photo by Contributed to the Courier

Two new Ceres firefighters were sworn in during a Thursday ceremony held at the Ceres Community Center. During the same event, Fire Captain Jeff Serpa was promoted to Battalion Chief.

Blake Hurst and Bryan ten Bosch took oaths administered by Ceres Mayor Chris Vierra to formally take jobs as firefighters. They replace two firefighters who were hired under the federal SAFER grant but who moved on.

Hurst had his firefighter's badge pinned on by his mother, Becky, while and ten Bosch had his pinned by Captain Bret Presson.

Hurst was raised in Ceres where he attended Ceres schools. While attending Ceres High School Blake was a fire explorer scout. He graduated from Ceres High and attended the Modesto Junior College Fire Academy. While looking for work as a firefighter he worked as an EMT with the Doctors Medical Center emergency room. When a position opened up in Ceres Fire Department, Blake said it was the call of his dreams.

Bryan ten Bosch is a Newport Beach native who grew up in Irvine. He graduated from California State University, San Marcos, and attended EMT School and the Fire Academy shortly thereafter. His first job was as a reserve firefighter with San Diego County Fire Authority. He worked two seasons in Cal Fire's Santa Clara unit. Ten Bosch considers his new position in Ceres to be an adventure for which he is grateful to embark upon.

Serpa had his battalion chief badge pinned on by his wife of 20 years, Danielle Serpa, and their daughters, Delaney and Brionna. Jeff started his fire service career in 1991 as an explorer with Escalon Fire District. He became a volunteer firefighter in Escalon in 1994 and graduated in the first class of the RFTC fire academy that same year. In 1995 Serpa became a part-time Ripon firefighter and a volunteer firefighter in 1997. He was hired as a full-time Ripon Fire firefighter in 1999. His move to Ceres Fire came in 2003 and in four years Serpa was promoted to the rank of fire captain.

Serpa continues to serve as a volunteer captain for the Hughson Fire Department.