LIBERTY, NY — The Sullivan 180 Healthiest Fire Department Challenge is a health and wellness competition for Sullivan County fire departments. The challenge encourages a focus on physical, nutritional and mental health. Challenge activities promote healthy lifestyles while supporting the firefighting community, Sullivan 180 said.

Departments earn “turtle points” for completing health-focused activities, workouts and trainings. At the end of the challenge, the amount of turtle points earned makes departments eligible for grant funding and awards.

“Every day, these departments respond to emergencies across Sullivan County. Being ready to serve their communities starts with taking care of themselves, and their progress has been inspiring to watch,” said Nicole Blais, Sullivan 180 outreach coordinator.

The Jeffersonville Fire Department has been getting healthy in the kitchen. The department cooks a homemade, healthy meal on drill nights; past recipes include honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, vegetable lasagna, fruit salads and vegetable egg rolls. Challenge captains Ross Turner, Camille O’Brien and John Toogood also hosted a Challenge Captain meeting, talking about their successes and challenges as a department participating for all four years, and guiding a “Crust & Create” activity in which each challenge captain made a healthy cauliflower crust pizza with vegetables for dinner.

Kauneonga Lake Fire Department, second-place winners of the 2025 Healthiest Fire Department Challenge, continues to place a strong emphasis on health. Despite not being eligible for first or second place this year, challenge captains Katrina Blais and Moshe Angyalfi have set up activities for members, including winter hikes in the Smallwood Forest Reserve, nature bingo, air consumption exercise circuits and “fast-paced, action-packed and laughter-filled” pickleball. The department also hosts yoga classes and workouts for members and is getting ready to host this month’s meeting.

Livingston Manor Fire Department has focused on first responder mental health through debriefs after calls. It is important to check in with fellow firefighters, helping break the mental health stigma in the firehouse, Sullivan 180 said. Led by challenge captain George Dolce, the department also gives back to the community, regularly taking walks to fill the Livingston Manor Little Free Pantry. Members played a Simon Says exercise game (an example of physical health), had healthy snacks (nutritional health) and shared one good thing that happened that day (mental health).

The Monticello Fire Department, led by challenge captain Jose Mora, takes group walks, stretches, works out and stays hydrated each time they meet.

The Narrowsburg-Lava Fire Department has also been getting healthy in the kitchen, but on the sweet side, baking healthy homemade desserts for members to enjoy. Each week, challenge captain Brenton Smith has made peanut butter protein bars with oats, peanut butter, chia seeds and honey, homemade fruit bars with fresh raspberry jam or blueberry chia seed jam and other healthy (and delicious) desserts to try.

The Smallwood Mongaup-Valley Fire Department has been holding the lead since week one of the challenge. 2025 Challenge Captain of the Year Becca Wood is leading her department in a healthy direction with monthly blood pressure and weight checks. Members often take walks around the lake, work out and have healthy snacks like watermelon, white chicken chili, hummus and spinach orzo salad. They also went skiing over the winter months, attended health and wellness classes at the Richard A. Martinkovic Public Safety Training Center, and will hold a countywide kickball tournament.

The Swan Lake Fire Department has been climbing its way up the leaderboard in its first year of the Healthiest Fire Department Challenge. As a new challenge participant, challenge captains Brandon and Chris Golzak are focusing on physical, nutritional and mental health with healthy recipes and snack taste tests, updating their health board to offer resources and information, and hosting Kauneonga Lake and Smallwood-Mongaup Valley Fire Departments for a board game night.

The White Lake Fire Department has held push-up challenges between members and other departments, workout nights and training for upcoming community races, including the Spartan 5K at Bethel Woods.

The challenge ends September 1. Winners will be announced at the Sullivan County Volunteer Firefighters Parade in Grahamsville on September 12. 

It is never too late to join the 2026 Healthiest Fire Department Challenge. Email Nicole Blais at Nicole@Sullivan180.org to sign up or learn more.