Holbrook firefighters create bedtime story videos for children to enjoy

HOLBROOK, Mass. — Holbrook firefighters are creating videos of themselves reading bedtime stories for parents to play for their children as everyone adapts to new routines while being stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Firefighter/Paramedic Jared Murphy, a father of three young boys, said he got the idea from his wife who saw similar videos on Facebook from a fire department in Florida.

Murphy read Going to the Firehouse by Mercer Mayer and posted his video on Facebook Wednesday night.

"It ran like wildfire," Murphy said. "It was awesome. A lot of good reviews from people in town."

Murphy said his two oldest sons also gave him two thumbs up.

“They were actually arguing on whose book it was and whose dad it was,” Murphy joked. “It was pretty funny. I don’t know if they actually watched the entire video.”

Murphy is hoping to get all 20 members of the department and their fire chief, Luke Mcfadden, to read a book.

“We’re going to continue, hopefully, as long as the kids are out of school,” Murphy said. “I’ve got plenty of books at my house. I’ll be bringing them in. A bunch of the guys have books for their kids as well.”

Murphy said with everyone hunkered down at home, the fire department isn’t seeing the regular flow of visitors.

“Hopefully once everything returns to normal, we will have people come in to visit and we welcome that,” Murphy said. “We want an open line of communication with everyone and we just want people to know we’re here for them.”

Mcfadden praised his firefighters, saying they’ve always been important parts of the community.

“These guys are fantastic,” Mcfadden said. “It’s not a surprise at all to me that under the present circumstances they’re once again going above and beyond and trying to do something nice for the community.”

As of Friday evening, the firefighters have posted three bedtime story videos on their Facebook page.

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