Lewes firefighters to lead fire safety story time Oct. 12

October is Fire Safety Month, and the Lewes Public Library will partner with the Lewes Fire Department to host a special fire safety story time for preschoolers at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, outside in the library’s back yard.

“Every October, the Lewes Fire Department does a tremendous amount of outreach with children in area elementary schools to teach them about fire safety,” said Jennifer Noonan, Lewes Public Library children’s librarian. “Preschool children may not have the same opportunity to learn how to stop, drop and roll, and what to do in case of a fire. We want to make sure they have that knowledge.”

This will be the fifth year for the program, which has enjoyed great success in the past including last October, when activities moved outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event will also be outside.

Miss Jen will kick off the program, as she does all story times, but the Lewes firefighters are the real stars of the day. Kids will get to watch a real, live firefighter get dressed in turn-out gear right in front of them.

“A fully dressed firefighter can look scary to a 2- or 3-year-old,” said Noonan. “We don’t want children being scared of or hiding from firefighters in an emergency. They’ll get to watch a firefighter put on each piece of equipment, and then have the chance to touch them, and hear them speak through their mask once completely dressed.”

Fire safety story time is once a year, but preschool and infant & toddler story times at Lewes library continue outdoors in Stango Park through Friday, Nov. 5.

For more information about this program and other children’s programming at the Lewes Public Library, contact Jennifer Noonan at 302-645-2733.