Koby’s brave act honoured

Seven-year-old Koby (front right) with parents Sean and Caitlin (back), siblings Ivy and Logan and CFA assistant chief fire officer Jamie Hansen. 333931 Picture: ELEANOR WILSON

By Eleanor Wilson

A classroom visit from the Lang Lang Fire Brigade marked a special day for local schoolboy Koby, who was recognised for a special act of bravery on Monday 8 May.

In a special classroom visit, Koby was presented with a certificate of appreciation for showing bravery during a fire by assistant chief fire officer Jamie Hansen and members of the Lang Lang Fire Brigade.

It was April 2022 when parents Caitlin and Sean and their three kids, then six year-old Koby, four year-old Logan and two year-old Ivy lost everything in a house fire in Lang Lang.

“Me and the two boys were home at the time and we just heard a big bang,” Caitlin said of the incident.

While she initially thought the sound could have been the Coonara wood heater, it was Koby who alerted the young family to the fire and took the initiative to leave the house.

“Koby said ‘there’s a fire’ and pointed at the back of the garage and there were flames coming out the back and smoke,” Caitlin said.

The youngster took the initiative to direct his mum and younger brother out of the house, where he waited on the side of the road while CFA crews attended to the scene.

“He was the one that said, ‘Mummy call the fire brigade’, of course I knew to do it, but he really pushed it.”

It was a proud moment for the mum of three, who said she had previously worried her kids wouldn’t be prepared in the event of a fire.

It is understood the fire was caused by an electrical fault.