Leadership Under Fire

In this conversation, Jim McNamara and Jason Brezler discuss the genesis of Leadership Under Fire. Jim and Jason explore how Jason’s experiences as a combat leader in Iraq and Afghanistan shaped his leadership philosophy and how he went about building the LUF Team.

Tom Miller is a FDNY firefighter assigned to Ladder Co. 26 in Harlem. He is a former US Marine and served as a forward observer in combat units in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Tom attended Columbia University on the GI Bill and obtained a bachelor's degree in Astrophysics. He serves as a human performance analytics program designer and analyst for Leadership Under Fire.

Since our formal inception more than a decade ago, the Leadership Under Fire Team has championed professional reading. We have fervently advocated for increased professional reading in the American Fire Service and similar high risk industries that do not enjoy the robust professional development curricula that the US military provides. The LUF team believes that a careful examination of history's most accomplished mission oriented leaders reveals that their success was strongly correlated to a scholarly appreciation of literature and professional reading. We have been humbled to watch many in the LUF network devour books that on the surface have nothing to do with the fire service, and yet everything to do with the fire ground. The past several years has challenged each of us as well as our families, institutions, communities, and nation in a myriad of ways: military conflict in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, a global pandemic, civil and political unrest at home. The proliferation of digital communications platforms and the emergence of disruptive technology have only exacerbated the intellectual, emotional, and moral demands on those of us leading in mission oriented and lethal vocations. Leaders with four years of service and leaders with four decades of service alike have found today's operational environment to be disorienting and uncomfortable. The unfortunate news is that there is no evidence that the pace and acceleration of technological and social change and instability is likely to slow anytime soon. The favorable news is that the predicament we find ourselves in might not be as novel as we think. If we look at history through a wider lens, professional reading has never been as critical as it is now. Rigorous reading affords each of us valuable insight that provides principled leaders encouragement, and even a roadmap for navigating institutional and social technical changes. In 2022, LUF launched our inaugural book club. The online book club has been a conduit to meaningful discourse, reflection, and critical thought. It was only fitting that LU F's Senior Mentor Jim Roussell served as the initial LUF book club leader given his infectious commitment to professional reading over the course of his remarkable career in the United States Marine Corps and Chicago Police Department. In this podcast episode, Jim unpacks Marcus Aurelius's meditations and provides valuable insight into how leaders use professional reading to cultivate leadership, critical thinking, and complex problem solving skills.

Our guest in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast is Lieutenant Thomas Daly. Lt Daly joined the ranks of the FDNY in 1997. As a firefighter, Tommy served in Ladder Co. 176 and Rescue Co. 2. As a Lieutenant, he was assigned to Ladder Co. 111 and Rescue Co. 2. Tom retired from the Department in 2023 with 27 years of service. LUF Founder Jason Brezler hosts.

This episode features two women who currently serve in the Milwaukee Fire Department—Lieutenants Kendria Donaldson and Jessica Ziems. Both started their firefighting journeys as Fire Cadets in 2013. The two-year program hires individuals between the ages of 17-19 and starts them on their firefighting career. They completed recruit class in 2015 and have been honing their firefighting and leadership skills in the Milwaukee FD since that time. Both attended the Leadership Under Fire Leadership Development Course at The Farm in the Fall of 2023 and offered a great deal of insight to the cohort.

The original broadcast date of this episode was March 25, 2021. On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City burned, tragically killing 146 workers. It is remembered as one of the most infamous incidents in American industrial history. The tragedy brought widespread attention to the dangerous sweatshop conditions of factories, spurred the creation of the FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention, and led to the development of a series of laws and regulations that better protected the safety of workers. But what has been curiously absent or understated from the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire narrative is a closer examination of firefighting efforts that took place that day, lessons regarding rescue of people who were trapped, a more detailed understanding of the leadership demonstrated in the wake of the event and the legacy of the fire today—just to name a few topics. In this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Optimizing Human Performance Podcast, we hope to contribute more broadly to the historical narrative of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The depth of this conversation is made possible by the extensive research efforts employed by our guest in this episode, FDNY Lieutenant Matt Connor.

In this episode, LUF Founder Jason Brezler is joined by LtCol Pete “Salvo” Benning, USMC. Benning was born and raised in New Guinea where his parents were missionaries. After graduating from high school, he moved back to the US where he spent a couple of years as a ski instructor and doing odd jobs. He applied to the US Naval Academy and was initially rejected but was afforded the opportunity to attend the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, RI. Benning would eventually make his way to Annapolis as a Midshipman and was commissioned as a Marine officer upon his Naval Academy graduation in 2004. In the two decades since, Benning has actively led and served in an array of capacities as a combat aviator, an instructor at the Naval Academy, in business development in the private sector, at home as a husband and active father, and in his church and community.

This episode featured FDNY Battalion Chief Jeff Facinelli who is currently assigned to Battalion 18 in the Bronx. Jeff joined the ranks of the FDNY in 2001 and previously served in Ladder Co. 40 in Harlem as a firefighter, Engine Co. 67 in Washington Heights as a lieutenant and Engine Co. 23 in midtown Manhattan as a Captain. Jeff is a program manager for the FDNY’s Mental Performance Initiative as well as the FDNY Command Course for battalion chiefs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science from the University of New Haven.

The recording you will hear in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast features LUF tactical performance advisor Captain Mike Guli. It was delivered as an online presentation to leaders enrolled in an online LUF Coaching Firefighters and Fire Officers to Perform Optimally at Fires and Emergencies course. The course equips leaders and tactical trainers with tools, concepts, and coaching strategies that optimize individual and until level performance under pressure. Capt Guli joined the ranks of the FDNY in 2005 and was a firefighter in Engine Co. 290 in East New York Brooklyn. He served as a Lieutenant in Engine Co. 55 in Lower Manhattan and presently serves as the company commander of Tower Ladder 86. Mike serves as a lead tactical coach for the FDNY’s MPI program. He has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in human nutrition.

This episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast features Captain Tristan Tricarico. Captain Tricarico has been a member of the Baltimore City Fire Department since 2011 and currently serves as the Captain of Truck Company #8. Previous assignments include the Fire Academy, Truck #23, Engine #8, and Truck #6. Tristan is a member of the Special Operations team, and is an adjunct instructor at the fire academy, as well as an instructor for the State of Maryland. He holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and bachelor’s degree in emergency management, both from Waldorf University. LUF Founder Jason Brezler hosts.

In this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast, host Patti Murphy is joined by LUF Founder Jason Brezler and LUF’s Senior Man and Human Performance Advisor Jim McNamara. In this conversation, we reflect on the range, depth, and reach of Leadership Under Fire’s team efforts in 2023. As has been the trend in recent years, technological and societal changes have deeply impacted all of us, individually and collectively. To that end, the LUF team has reaffirmed its commitment to humanize performance and leadership in today’s fire service and other high-risk, lethal environments to gain and maintain a competitive edge while maintaining the moral imperative of leadership. Through programs, research and publications, the team is committed to developing mission-oriented leaders who make human performance a priority.

This episode features John Beebe as our guest. He currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Training and Operations for the Central Mat-Su Fire Department in Alaska. He began his fire service career in 1999 as a paid-on-call responder with the neighboring Palmer Fire Department while at the same time, building navigation and communication towers and performing electrical work on remote Alaskan runways for the FAA. He obtained his paramedic license in 2002 and was hired as a career EMS Battalion Chief for the Central Mat-Su FD in 2005. In 2012 fire and EMS split, becoming two separate agencies. With firefighting always his passion, he accepted the position of Training Captain for the CMSFD in 2013 and has worked his way up to his current role as assistance chief of training and operations. In addition to completing various trainings and certifications, Beebe has nearly completed a Bachelors in Fire Service Administration.

Shane McKeon is a FDNY Lieutenant and seasoned endurance athlete. Shane joined the ranks of the FDNY immediately after 9/11 and spent many years as a firefighter in Engine Co. 84 and Ladder Co. 34 in Washington Heights before becoming a company officer. Shane has served as a lead fitness instructor at the FDNY's Probationary Firefighter School, a program manager for the FDNY's "A Day in the Life of a Firefighter" program in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School, and as a member of the FDNY's First Line Supervisor Training Program. Shane played Division 1 baseball and two years of minor league baseball prior to joining the FDNY. Since becoming a member of the FDNY, Shane has completed 25 marathons, numerous ultra open water swims, and the Ironman on two occasions.

Our guest in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast is John Rabin. Mr. Rabin currently serves as the FEMA Assistant Administrator for Response, where he is responsible for the delivery of a coordinated Federal emergency management response to state, local, tribal and territorial communities that have been impacted by natural disasters, acts of terrorism or other emergencies. This includes the leadership and management of the National Urban Search and Rescue System, Disaster Emergency Communications, the National Response Coordination Center and numerous national planning, warning and reporting organizations. He was on the ground in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands for Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leading the region in complex lifesaving and life-sustaining operations. Mr. Rabin also served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for National Preparedness. In this role, he led the day-to-day operations that provided the guidance, training, exercises and programs to prepare the Nation to prevent, protect from, respond to and recover from all hazards. A volunteer firefighter and EMT, he is also a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

The recording you will hear in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast features LUF tactical leadership advisor Gabe Angemi. Gabe is a second-generation member of the Camden NJ Fire Department. He presently serves as a Captain and is assigned to Squad Company 7. Gabe has spent many years serving in Camden’s Special Operations companies and is a member of NJ-TF1 FEMA USAR since 2008. He completed undergraduate study in Public Safety Administration from Neumann University and holds a master’s degree in Emergency & Disaster Management from Georgetown University. He was previously featured on episode no. 60 of this podcast titled, From Renegade to Reformer with Capt Gabe Angemi, Camden NJ FD.

Our guest in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast is Lieutenant David Pawling. Lieutenant Pawling started with the Barrington New Jersey Police Department in 2011. He previously served as a Patrol Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Detective Sergeant before being promoted to Lieutenant in 2022. Lt Pawling serves as the Emergency Management Coordinator in Barrington and has been a member of the Zone 5 SWAT team since 2015. He is a lifelong resident of the town where he is policing and is proud to serve his community. The LUF team has worked tirelessly to better understand the impacts of operational stress on those who work in high-risk, lethal environments where the consequences of failure can be catastrophic. It is our collective belief that the pressures placed upon the members in law enforcement put them in a category of exceptional stress and uncertainty.

Our guest in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast is Jacob Dutton. Jake is an FDNY firefighter currently assigned to Rescue Co. 1 in Manhattan. He also serves as a Human Performance Analyst and Course Director for Leadership Under Fire. Listeners can hear more about his background and professional experience in episode no. 29 of this podcast titled “Managing Risk and Morality as a Paramedic with Jacob Dutton.” In this conversation, Jake and host Patti Murphy explore a value that is important to all members of the LUF team and a tenet of the LUF philosophy: the value of having leaders from a multiple generational TEAM prepare leaders and organizations to perform optimally perform optimally under pressure and navigate physical, mental, emotional, and moral rigors in high-risk and lethal settings. For these reasons and more (which we’ll touch on in this episode), Leadership Under Fire will soon be making an even greater effort to contribute to the development of emerging leaders while also affording emerging leaders with increased opportunities to contribute to important conversations on operational doctrine, leadership development, and human performance optimization.

In episode number 10 of this podcast, we featured FDNY Firefighter and LUF Human Performance Advisor James Lopez. During the episode we discussed many timeless topics related to physical and tactical fitness as well as enjoyment and quality of life. It’s hard to comprehend how much has transpired since our previous conversation in 2019, to include a global pandemic, civil unrest, and war on the European continent, but Lopez is back in this episode to share how some of his practices and philosophies have evolved, and how some have stood the test of time. Lopez joined the FDNY in 1997 and has served as a Firefighter in Rescue Company 2 for nearly 20 years. He’s a contributor to the FDNY’s Mental Performance Initiative and other LUF human performance optimization endeavors across the country. He competed as a collegiate wrestler while attending Hunter College, and holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from Kaplan University. He still operates a gym in Staten Island, New York but has modified things a bit since navigating the COVID pandemic as a small business owner. And he and his wife are proud parents of two children who are now attending college.

In this Podcast episode, we’re honored to share the story of FDNY Chief William M. Feehan’s leadership, service, and devotion to his family and the FDNY, compliments of insight from his son, FDNY Battalion Chief John Feehan, his grandson Firefighter Connor Davan, and former FDNY Fire Commissioner and friend, Daniel Nigro. FDNY Chief William Feehan—better known as Bill—was a knowledge center of the New York City Fire Department. Chief Bill Feehan was well-versed on a wide range of subjects and possessed exceptional leadership qualities. He was a “firefighter’s chief” who held every rank in the FDNY and served the Department for more than 41 years. His command philosophy and leadership style were shaped by his love for the United States, New York City, the FDNY and its members, his Catholic faith and his devotion to his family. Chief Feehan was a strategic minded leader who balanced the necessity to innovate with an appreciation for the FDNY’s special culture, storied past and human spirit. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Bill Feehan was a FDNY Deputy Commissioner. He’d retired from uniformed service several years before but continued to serve his beloved Department and City. In true Chief Feehan fashion, he responded to the World Trade Center attacks that morning, donning his helmet and turnout coat as he provided counsel to the Department’s senior leaders such as Chief of Department Pete Ganci. Chief Feehan was one of the 343 FDNY members of who made the Supreme Sacrifice on 9/11, leaving behind an enduring mark on the Department and a legacy that continues to inspire many members in the FDNY today, most notably those members of his family who continue to lead and serve.

July 2023 marked the 5th anniversary of FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano's passing, and several members of the Leadership Under Fire team thought it appropriate to reflect on the many lessons and words of wisdom that "the Vig" provided us, and share the ways in which they have continued to encourage and guide us even in his physical absence. In this episode, we're revisiting the second and final installment in our series dedicated to "Remembering FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano," which originally aired in 2019 when the show was branded the "Optimizing Human Performance Podcast." But first, listeners will hear a message from LUF Founder, Jason Brezler, followed by the original episode. We recommend listening to Remembering FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano–Part I prior to this episode.