WOODBOURNE — On Monday afternoon, June 26, during severe thunderstorms across Sullivan County, an off-duty firefighter of the Woodbourne Fire Department was struck by lightning. Forty-eight year old Brook Stroop, a 19-year volunteer firefighter at the fire service, is reportedly doing okay and is expected to make a full recovery. 

After multiple “Severe Thunderstorm Warnings” were issued around Sullivan County and the Hudson Valley, the Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue Page reported an individual had been rushed to the emergency room due to being struck by lightning. 

After much speculation, it was originally reported that it was an EMT worker before it was actually confirmed to be a firefighter. According to published reports, Stroop was thrown 10 feet by the bolt of lightning and smoke had been coming out of his body when rescuers arrived. 

“Beyond grateful to Fallsburg PD, NYS State Police, Mobile Medic, and my brothers and sisters at Woodbourne and Loch Sheldrake Fire and EMS,” Stroop said in a Facebook post. “I don’t remember much [but] can only tell you it hurt and hits with a density of a hammer - I don’t ever want to experience again.”