Leadership Under Fire

In this conversation, LUF's senior mentor Jim Roussell, USMC(Ret) and Chicago PD (Ret) candidly discusses leadership in mission-oriented organizations.  He reflects on the courageous actions of his U.S. Marines and their Iraqi allies in Fallujah.  Jim also shares lessons that he learned during various chapters of his career as well as key takeaways from several historical vignettes.  The conversation transpired over coffee in the farmhouse during the winter 2025 LUF Human-Centered Fireground Command and Control retreat on the Farm in Western Maryland. 

Shaun Ferguson is a member of the Cherry Hill Fire Department, where he has served since 2016. He is currently assigned to Special Operations Squad and Hazmat Company 13. Shaun plays a key role in the administration of the Cherry Hill FD Recruit Academy, where he is a member of the fire instructor cadre, teaching in both engine operations and hazardous materials disciplines. As part of the recruit academy command staff, Shaun serves as a drill instructor, taking on a formative role in shaping new firefighters. He is also an integral member of the department's Human Performance Team, where he has been instrumental in introducing and cultivating human performance training for recruit and probationary firefighters. In addition to his work with the Cherry Hill FD, Shaun has contributed to the Leadership Under Fire Emerging Leaders Development course - this conversation is from a course session.  Shaun also served in the New Jersey Air National Guard as a Fire Protection Specialist from 2011 to 2021, deploying to various locations around the world.

In this episode you'll hear LTC Charlie Black, USMC (Ret) guide the LUF book club through Battlefield Leadership by Adolf non Schell. Battlefield Leadership is a classic exploration of leadership under fire, drawn from real experiences on the front lines of World War I. With insight forged through experience, he'll guide us through von Schell's powerful reflections on decision-making, morale, and the human dimension of warfare.

The following episode originally aired in July of 2020 featuring Jerry Smith of the Baltimore City Fire Department.  This episode was released in two parts, but today we are re-releasing the episodes in its entirety.   Jim McNamara hosts this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Optimizing Human Performance Podcast. Jim is a senior Firefighter at the FDNY and serves as a Human Performance Advisor for LUF. He's also the principal author of the Leadership Under Fire Senior Man's Performance Journal. Our guest in this episode, Jerry Smith Jr., is a Firefighter with the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) currently assigned to Rescue Company 1. He was previously assigned to Truck Company 15 and entered the fire department in 2004. Jerry grew up in suburban Philadelphia, which is where his fire service career began as a volunteer. He is a member of the BCFD Dive Team and serves as the public safety scuba instructor. Jerry was also a member of the Central Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 2. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Loyola University of Maryland. Currently, Jerry is involved with the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute in their three year study of Fire Service Residential Home Size-up and Search and Rescue Operations serving as a member of the technical panel. Jerry has been actively involved with Leadership Under Fire since its inception in 2012.

Firefighter Trevor Meador is a member of the Frederick County, MD Fire and Rescue Department, currently assigned to Station 3 in downtown Frederick. Trevor is also an instructor in the Frederick County Training Academy, teaching a variety of topics, from Firefighter Safety and Survival, truck Ops and much more. Trevor also served in the USMC.

Today's guest is Lt. Col. Mark Westphal, a highly accomplished leader with an extensive and diverse background. Mark grew up in Westchester County, New York before heading to Georgia Tech, where he earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering.  He also earned an MBA from LaSalle University.  In his civilian career, Mark serves as the Chief Engineer for Special Operations Forces platforms and is a certified Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) with a major defense contractor.  A combat veteran, Mark recently retired from the National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel after an extraordinary career. His service spans multiple roles, including Combat Engineer, Infantry, Special Forces Green Beret, and Air Force Special Warfare Officer.

The LUF team believes that a careful examination of history's most accomplished mission-oriented leaders reveals that their success was strongly correlated to scholarship and professional reading.  LUF book clubs have been a conduit to meaningful discourse, reflection, and critical thought.   Jim Roussell has guided several LUF book clubs.  Jim's infectious commitment to professional reading was at the foundation of his preparation for the duration of his remarkable career in the USMC and Chicago PD.  He relied heavily on his self-study to compliment his extensive operational experience and inform his leadership philosophy and complex problem-solving skillset.  In this podcast episode, Jim unpacks the early chapters of Robert Coram's “Brute” and provides valuable insight into the philosophy, traits, and approach that enabled LtGen Victor Krulak to transform the USMC's warfighting capability set.  

Angela Naeth is a Canadian Professional Triathlete who made a significant mark on the sport with her exceptional performances in both Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events in her 20 year long career. In 2015, she became the North American Ironman Champion, cementing her place among the elite triathletes of her generation. Known for her strength in cycling and running, Angela has consistently delivered top performances at major events, including multiple podium finishes at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. In 2021 she finished 6th place OVERALL at Gravel Unbound, the worlds premier gravel cycling race and completed the grueling Leadville 100 in a blistering 8 hours and 22 minutes.  Overcoming injuries throughout her career, she has demonstrated remarkable resilience. Angela actively shares her insights and experiences to inspire others and raise awareness for mental health as a coach and mental performance expert. 

Today's guest is FDNY Firefighter Kevin O'Connor of Ladder 33 in the Bronx.  Kevin is a 17 year member of the department and has represented the FDNY on countless occasions as a member of the Pipes and Drums band.  He is a regular contributor to the FDNY's MPI program and a Tactical Performance Coach helping members hone their skills on the fire floor. 

The FDNY suffered line of duty deaths at two separate fire operations on January 23, 2005, “Black Sunday.”  Firefighter Richard Scalfani of Ladder Co. 103 was killed in the performance of his duties while operating a private dwelling fire on Jerome St. in the East New York section of Brooklyn.  Just hours prior, six members of Ladder Co. 27 and Rescue Co. 3 jumped from the top floor of a 4-story apartment building on E. 178th St in the Bronx.  Lieutenant Curt Meyran, FF John Bellew, and Lieutenant Joseph DiBernardo succumbed to their injuries.      Firefighter Brendan Cawley is a survivor of the 178th St fire. Nearly three years after the fire, Brendan returned to full duty status following a grueling and miraculous recovery from the physical and mental injuries that he sustained after exiting the top floor.  The interview you will hear in this episode was recorded in 2019 at a LUF Human Performance Summit devoted to the concept of resilience and the question, “what happens when we compete to win and lose?”  The LUF team remembers those members who lost their lives on Black Sunday.  The LUF team is inspired by the resilience that the survivors have displayed in the years since, survivors including sons of members killed and critically injured who have recently joined the ranks of the FDNY. 

Today's episode is part 2 of a 2 part conversation with Jason Brezler and James McNamara  where we continue to reflect on the range, depth, and reach of Leadership Under Fire's TEAM efforts in 2024. The LUF team has maintained its commitment to humanizing and optimizing performance and leadership in today's fire service and other high-risk industries through programs, research, and publications.

In this episode we are joined by LUF Founder Jason Brezler and LUF's Senior Man James McNamara.  In this conversation, we reflect on the range, depth, and reach of Leadership Under Fire's TEAM efforts in 2024. The LUF team has maintained its commitment to humanizing and optimizing performance and leadership in today's fire service and other high-risk industries through programs, research, and publications.

This episode features a powerful story of courage, compassion, and legacy. We're honored to have Kristina Moon, wife of fallen FDNY firefighter William (better known as “Billy”) Moon II, whose heroic act of organ donation after a tragic accident in December of 2022 has saved multiple lives and left an enduring legacy of service. For more information, please visit billymoonfoundation.org. 

In this episode, we present part two of a two-part conversation between Jason Brezler and Captain Gabe Angemi of the Camden Fire Department, which originally aired on October 31st. In part one, Gabe shared his experiences during the recovery efforts in Asheville, NC, following Hurricane Helene. Part two shifts focus to the critical role of academia and higher education in shaping and informing leadership within the fire service. Sociocultural Human Performance: Education and Learning for Promotion in the American Fire Service by Gabriel Angemi

Hello and welcome to the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative podcast.  I am your guest host Timothy Clarke.  Today's guest is Trevor Renadette.  Trevor is a native of Plattsburgh NY where he was born and raised before going to college at Plattsburgh State in 1998.  After one year at university Trevor decided to take a break from school in order to join the NY Army Nation guard.  In 1999 he attended Infantry basic training in Fort Benning Ga. before advanced infantry training where he achieved a dual MOS as an 11 Bravo Infantrymen and an 11 Charlie Mortarman.  After graduating AIT, Trevor returned to college where he received a degree in Communications.  In 2004 Trevor was called into active duty service and was attached to the 1st Infantry Division with whom he deployed to Iraq.  Upon returning home he was honorably Discharged and entered the NYC Fire Academy.  Trevor was Assigned to Engine 38 and Tower Ladder 51 in the Williamsbrige section of The Bronx before being promoted to Lieutenant in 2016.  As a Lieutenant Trevor was assigned to Engine 3 Ladder 12 in Manhattan and just a few weeks ago he was promoted to the rank of Captain and is currently assigned to Division 14 in Queens.  

Our guest for this episode is 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 has been a member of NJ-TF1 FEMA USAR since 2008.  Gabe serves as a tactical leadership advisor for Leadership Under Fire. Gabe last appeared on the LUF podcast in March of 2021. 

Joanne Mariano is a firefighter with the FDNY assigned to L136 in Elmhurst, Queens, and formerly assigned to E225 in East New York, Brooklyn. Prior to joining the fire department, she was a lighting technician with IATSE Local 52 Motion Picture Studio Mechanics. She holds a bachelor's degree in Film Production from Hunter College and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Sport and Performance Psychology with a concentration in applied practice at the University of Western States. Joanne is working towards becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

This conversation was originally recorded in May of 2024 when Jim Roussell spoke to leaders in the Baltimore City Fire Department during the BCFD's first weeklong LUF Optimizing Human Performance (MPI) Course. Jim Roussell served with the Chicago Police Department for more than 36 years and spent most of his career in gang-tactical units. He commanded the 24th District and the department's mobile strike force which targeted gang violence citywide. Jim also served with the US Marines for 39 years where he held numerous billets in infantry and intelligence assignments in both active duty and reserve capacities. He deployed to Iraq on three separate occasions with Marine infantry battalions.  Jim has a Doctor of Education from Olivet Nazarene University and serves as a chief mentor for the LUF team.

Battalion Chief Pat Connolly is a twenty-three year member of the FDNY. Chief Connolly began his career at Engine 39/Ladder 16 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, then promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to E231/TL120 in Brownsville Brooklyn. Chief Connolly promoted again to the rank of Captain and was assigned to L-133 in South Jamaica, Queens. Recently, Chief Connolly was promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief and is assigned to Battalion 35 in Brooklyn. Chief Connolly is a graduate of Fordham University and has attended the FDNY's MPI weeklong program.

This conversation is a continuation of an episode about Building the LUF Team which was published on May 16, 2024.  LUF Senior Man Jim McNamara and Founder Jason Brezler revisit Leadership Under Fire's origins and the genesis of LUF's Making Yourself Hard to Kill construct, and more broadly the team's endeavor to challenge and encourage leaders to think critically.  Jim and Jason discuss the inherent limitations of operational safety in real-world operational environments and conversely its suitability in largely controlled training settings.  The conversation was recorded in mid-May and mid-August of 2024 and coincides with a season in which influential organizations that shape doctrine and narratives in the American fire service are evaluating the merits and shortcomings of their methodologies which have been primarily anchored in the operational safety concept.    Image: Sgt Tylor Belshe, USMC and Cpl Bill Cahir, USMC (later KIA) at FOB Black in Fallujah, Iraq 

Since our formal inception more than a decade ago, the LUF Team has championed professional reading.  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.  In 2022, LUF launched our inaugural book club.   LUF online book clubs have been a conduit to meaningful discourse, reflection, and critical thought.    In this podcast episode, LUF's Senior Mentor Jim Roussell unpacks Nassim Nicholas Taleb's "Black Swan" with a LUF Book Club.  Jim provides valuable insight into the leadership traits and organizational practices that will equip mission-oriented leaders and units to respond to unpredictable and improbable events. 

Lieutenant Ben Baus joined the ranks of the Milwaukee Fire Department in 2012.  As a firefighter, Ben served in Rescue Co. 1 and on the department's Heavy Urban Rescue Team which provides technical rescue throughout the city and surrounding areas.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2020 and is currently assigned to Rescue Co. 1.  Ben has been a contributor to the LUF Emerging Leadership Development course. 

Today we are joined by LT Evan Bergman with the United States Air Force. Evan is a Tactical Air Control Party Specialist, or TACP, at the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron in Savannah Georgia.  He spent most of his youth in Annapolis Maryland before attending the Virginia Military Institute where he majored in Psychology.  After graduating in 2021 Evan attended TOPT, the AF Special Warfare Officer selection course for the TACP career field.   In 2022 Evan began the arduous TACP pipeline where he helped lead his teams through nearly two years of intense physical and mental training. 

Paul Conway is a third-generation firefighter who served with the Milwaukee Fire Department for 31 years and retired as the Chief of Operations in 2012.  He also served with the New Berlin Volunteer Fire Department for seventeen years.  Paul used his fire service experience and passion to start Conway Shield. Nearly 40 years later, the Conway Shield business he founded strives to be a leading source of protective gear, safety equipment, and educational resources for first responders in the U.S.  Paul continues to actively serve in his community and serves as both a chief sponsor and senior advisor for Leadership Under Fire. 

The filing period for the FDNY Firefighter Open Competitive exam #4044 opened on Monday, June 24, 2024. The last filing period was in 2017. The path to joining the Greatest Job on Earth is competitive and tedious – it requires both perseverance and patience. That is why the Leadership Under Fire Team and Paddy Brown Program hosted an information session to educate and encourage those military service members and veterans desiring to join the FDNY as well as those who are considering military service prior to joining the FDNY. The conversation featured the perspectives of several current FDNY members whose path to the FDNY was shaped by their military service. The conversation also provided insight into the FDNY's hiring process, employment requirements, the professional benefits of military service, and commentary on military veterans who have served our Nation and FDNY with distinction.       Of note: The Notice of Examination for Exam #4044 was released after the conversation was recorded. Subsequently, those who are interested in joining the FDNY are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the NOE prior to filing for the exam.  

Lieutenant Jason Leone started his career with the Baltimore City Fire Department in 2010 and is currently assigned to Rescue Company 1. Prior to promotion, he was a firefighter in Truck Co. 23 and an Emergency Vehicle Driver in Truck Companies 23 and 6. Jason is a member of the BCFD's Special Operations team and is an adjunct instructor at the Fire Academy. Jason is a former Captain Timmy Stackpole LUF Scholar recipient.  This conversation you are about to hear was delivered during an online LUF Leadership Development Course to which Jason contributed. The final module of the course is dedicated to an examination of mission-oriented risk and resilience, specifically “what science, history, and experience” informs us about what happens when we compete to win and lose. Jason candidly reflects on his professional and personal journey following the Stricker Street fire which claimed the lives of Lieutenant Paul Butrim and Firefighters Kelsey Sadler and Kenny Lacayo in January 2022.

In this conversation, Deondre Smalls and Tom Flores of the Camden City (NJ) Fire Department's Squad Co. 7 discuss balancing the job with life away from the firehouse to optimize both professional and personal performance. Deondre is a second-generation member of the Camden City Fire Department. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism/media studies from Rutgers University and has worked as a research assistant at NFL Films since 2020. Tom is a first generation American. Since 2022, he has worked with nonprofits mentoring fatherless and undocumented youths. This conversation was recently delivered during an online LUF Emerging Leaders Development course. The course is uniquely built around the perspectives of emerging leaders with 5-10 years of job time from several different departments. The course equips and encourages emerging leaders to embrace, create, and recognize opportunities to lead and exercise initiative in a fashion consistent with relative experience and culture.

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. 

The original broadcast date for this episode was October 24, 2019. It features Hannah Huesman who was a Mental Performance Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies at the time of this recording. Huesman has since accepted the role of Mental Performance Coordinator for the Texas Rangers Organization. She also travels for speaking engagements on how training your mental skills can help ANY performer. She has worked with the FDNY, MLB, business executives, actors, and athletes of all ages. She is also the host of #MentalSweatMonday on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This is a one-minute video, posted every Monday, of different strategies to help you work on your mental game. LUF Podcast host and producer Patti Murphy caught up with Hannah recently to discuss her endeavors since 2019. So, first you'll hear that discussion, followed by the original conversation. 

The recording you will hear in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast features longtime LUF contributor Brian McNulty and was recently delivered as an online presentation to leaders enrolled in the online LUF Optimizing Tactical Performance Under Pressure course. Brian joined the ranks of the Milwaukee Fire Department in 1999 and was one of the department's first rescue company commanders and a plank owner of Rescue Company 2. Brian is a very seasoned and no-nonsense fire officer who has advanced his understanding of human performance as well as refined how he trains and develops rescue company firefighters and leads at fires and emergencies—a perspective that is at the core of this conversation.     Brian's eleven-year tenure as Rescue 2's company commander ended recently. After much deliberation, Brian elected to turn the company over to a new Captain and assume greater responsibility as a battalion chief. The LUF team would like to commend Brian for the success that he and his members have achieved in building Rescue 2. We wish Brian continued success as a chief officer and are confident that he will continue to be a trusted leader under pressure in the Milwaukee Fire Department.  

The original broadcast date for this episode was July 30, 2020, and features host Patti Murphy and American baseball executive Sandy Alderson, general manager of the NY Mets at the time. Sandy currently serves as the President of the NY Mets and has been a front office executive in Major League Baseball for 40 years. Under his leadership, Major League Baseball teams have won six division titles, three American League pennants, one National League pennant and a World Series Championship. Sandy has held executive leadership roles with the Oakland Athletic, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. Under his leadership as general manager, the Oakland Athletics played in three consecutive World Series from 1988 to 1990 and won the 1989 World Series. Sandy guided the 2015 NY Mets to a National League pennant and the World Series. He has also served as an executive for Major League Baseball on two separate occasions. Sandy was a principal architect of “Moneyball” in the Oaklands Athletics organization. Sandy reformed the way Athletics did business in virtually every regard--he revolutionized the ways in which the club scouted and identified talent, used analytics, approached the mental game, and conditioned their athletes. Sandy's approach to fielding a competitive team while at the helm of the Athletics was unconventional--decades later those once progressive tenets are now part of the game's orthodoxy in virtually every organization in professional baseball. Sandy has been a trusted source of insight and encouragement in shaping LUF's approach to systematically optimizing human performance in the fire service and ultra-competitive and/or lethal endeavors. LUF recently launched the LUF Human Performance “Team of Teams” – a collaborative network of human performance leaders from around North America. Though in its infancy, the LUF Team of Teams network will consist of several networked functional teams dedicated to exploring and advancing specific pillars of human performance. Each of the teams are named in honor of a human performance pioneer and we thought it would be fitting to name the program manager team “Team Alderson” in honor of Sandy's immense contributions. Leadership and service are in Sandy Alderson's bloodline. His father was a seasoned Army Air Corps and Air Force fighter pilot who flew in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Sandy graduated from Dartmouth at the height of the Vietnam War and did an unpopular thing, particularly as an Ivy League graduate--he took a commission in the United States Marine Corps. 2nd Lt Alderson soon found himself in Vietnam as a platoon leader of US Marine infantrymen. Sandy was commended for his combat leadership in Vietnam with a Bronze Star with a valor device. After returning home from Vietnam, Sandy received orders to the Marine Corps prestigious “8th and I” Barracks in Washington, DC, a billet customarily reserved for officers destined for great responsibility in the Marine Corps. Though Sandy unquestionably had a bright future in the Marine Corps, he opted to depart the service and attend law school at Harvard. In professional baseball circles, Sandy is revered as a maverick for his baseball intellect. But more importantly, he is respected and admired for his character and moral compass. Sandy has been recognized in recent months by the NY Friends of Vietnam Veterans Plaza and the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation for his leadership and civic virtue. The same character and conviction that was central to Sandy's leadership style as a leader of Marines in combat has been at the core of how he has conducted himself and business in professional baseball for the past four decades. Sandy's character is perhaps most evident in what the organizations under his charge do not just on the field, but also off the field. Under Sandy's leadership the NY Mets have consistently, and quietly, gone above and beyond in supporting our Nation's veterans, Gold Star families, and the families of fallen first responders--not because it is favorable for the brand, but because it is the right thing to do.

Our guest in this episode of the Leadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast is Aaron Miller. Miller is a Captain with the Fairfax County (VA) Fire and Rescue Department. During this episode, listeners will learn about how Miller's high-level baseball experience and competitive spirit influenced his leadership philosophy and perspective on fireground performance. LUF Founder Jason Brezler hosts.