Plympton Boy Honored For Quick Thinking When Carbon Monoxide Alarms Sound

PLYMPTON (CBS) - A five-year-old boy was honored Wednesday after he saved his family from carbon monoxide poisoning.

When the carbon monoxide alarm sounded in Cayden Galambos's Plympton home during the October Nor'easter, he told his mother they needed to evacuate immediately, not even letting her put her shoes on.

From left, Plympton Fire Captain John Sjostedt, Cayden Galambos, and Plympton Firefighter Steve Galambos. (Photo credit: Plympton Fire Department)

Winds had blown exhaust from a generator into the family's home. When firefighters arrived at the scene - including Steve Galambos, Cayden's father - they found elevated levels of carbon monoxide. The home was ventilated and no one was hurt.

The week before, Plympton firefighters visited Cayden's class at Dennett Elementary School for Fire Prevention Week. The theme was the Sounds of Fire Safety, and firefighters covered carbon monoxide alarms.

"We visit Dennett Elementary School every year to teach the students fire safety lessons," said Plympton Fire Captain John Sjostedt, who serves as the department's
Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) coordinator. "We pray the students will never have to use the skills we teach them, but I can't tell you how exciting it is to see the S.A.F.E. program work in person. Cayden did exactly what we taught him."

Cayden was honored with a Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Young Hero Award, a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and a certificate from the Plympton Fire Department.

"If he wasn't awake, it could have gone differently," said Plympton Firefighter Steve Galambos, Cayden's father. "He's a smart kid. He did a good job."