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JUMP TO: Join Bonus Activities Prizes
Participate in the National Volunteer Fire Council's 2nd Annual Step Strong Challenge and enjoy some healthy competition with your fellow first responders across the country! Earn chances to win prizes for reaching challenge goals.
1) Teams: in addition to competing as an individual, you can now form a team and compete against other teams based on average points. As further motivation, you can also see how you stack up against your teammates on the Team Leaderboard!
2) Chat: you also share how you are staying healthy and support your peers through the in-app chat module (all while earning bonus steps for focusing on your social well being).
3) Activity Log: as requested, you can now enter other fitness activities to log the equivalent amount of steps!
The Step Strong Challenge starts Monday, June 1 at 12:01 a.m. ET and ends Tuesday, June 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Questions related to the Challenge can be directed to Caroline Stachowiak at Caroline@nvfc.org. Troubleshooting questions related to the app or your fitness tracker should be directed to info@hekahealth.com.
JOIN
1) Download the NVFC Step Strong Challenge app
2) Launch the app and complete the in-app registration
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Pair your activity tracker (anyone with a smartphone can track their steps):
- Apple iPhone: select iPhone, Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Garmin
- Android Phone: select Steps tracked by your Phone, Google Fit, Samsung Health (requires Samsung Health to be synched with Google's Health Connect), Fitbit, or Garmin
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As part of the registration process, you have the following choices for the team field:
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Create a new team - click the Create button, enter your team name, click save, and then tell your teammates to join (you need a minimum of 3 active teammates for your team to be qualified)
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Join an existing team - use the team pulldown to scroll through and select the teams you want to join
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Select "No team" if you prefer just to compete as an individual only
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Your team can compete against other Teams based on average points and also see how you stack up against your teammates on the Team Leaderboard!
3) Start Walking & Engaging in Bonus Activities
Questions? Check out the FAQs, submit our online form, or email info@hekahealth.com
BONUS ACTIVITIES
Once the Challenge has started, tap the Bonus Activities button at the bottom of the Challenge App and earn steps for engaging in the activities listed below.
Activity Log: Engage in various fitness activities, from weight lifting to stretching, aerobics to using a manual wheelchair. Then select the activity log bonus activity in the Challenge app and log the time you spent doing the activity to receive the estimated equivalent steps (limit of 1 entry of up to 1 hour per day).
Chat: Use the in-app Chat module to interact with other Challenge participants and share how you are stepping strong. You will earn 500 bonus steps for each post (limit of two bonus grants per day).
Scan-In: Visit the following four locations in June and get a one-time bonus of 5K steps for each of the QR codes you scan:
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Safety Stand Down takes place June 14-20 with the theme Firefighter FITNESS: Fit for Duty, Fit for Life. Visit the planning page to find your QR code and view materials to help plan your department’s activities.
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During the 2026 Training Summit in Arlington, VA, NVFC staff will host a morning walk. Get extra steps and your bonus QR code worth an additional 5k steps after the walk!
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The NVFC recently released updated resources to help keep your heart healthy and ready to respond. We’ve hidden the QR code at the end of one of our new functional fitness videos. See if you can find it!
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Join the NVFC for the free webinar “Right Gear, Right Response: The Case for Alternative PPE in the Volunteer Fire Service” on June 16 at 2pm ET for your QR code. Register using the following link: Right Gear, Right Response Webinar.
PRIZES
Prize information coming soon!
