Leadership Under Fire

A Reflection on Service and Resilience with Det Joseph Vigiano, NYPD

Joseph John Vigiano is a former U.S. Marine and currently serves as a Detective with the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit (ESU), where he is assigned to Squad 7 in Brooklyn.
Joe is a 2015 graduate of SUNY Maritime College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation and obtained a Third Mate's Unlimited Tonnage License. Upon graduating from college, Joe enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve as an 0352 Antitank Missileman. He served as a Sergeant in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines. While serving with 2/25, Joe deployed to Afghanistan in 2018 as part of the Georgian Liaison Team.
Joe joined the ranks of the NYPD in 2017 and was assigned to the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn—the same command where both of his parents began their careers with the NYPD. While assigned to the 75th Precinct, Joe served as a patrol officer and as a member of the Midnight Public Safety Team, the predecessor to Anti-Crime.
Joe graduated from the Emergency Service Unit's Specialized Training School in 2023. ESU is the NYPD's tactical and technical rescue team, responsible for a wide range of operations, including high-risk search warrants, barricaded perpetrators, emotionally disturbed persons, rope rescue, weapons of mass destruction/HazMat incidents, and vehicle extrications. Joe is currently assigned to ESU Squad 7 and was promoted to Detective Specialist, 3rd Grade, in 2025.
Joe and his wife, Jenny, are the parents of Joseph Vincent Vigiano II, who was named after Joe's father, 9/11 hero Detective Joseph Vincent Vigiano. Joe has two brothers, James and John. James is also a member of the NYPD, assigned to Brooklyn North's Community Response Team, and is a Marine Corps veteran who served with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. His younger brother, John, currently serves as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps with the 3rd Littoral Regiment in Hawaii.
Joe is the grandson of the late Captain John Vigiano, FDNY, and Mrs. Jan Vigiano, who actively honored their sons' sacrifices through tireless advocacy on behalf of our nation's post-9/11 military veterans.
Captain Vigiano served as the principal mentor for Leadership Under Fire from its inception until his passing from 9/11-related cancer in 2018. This conversation about leadership, risk, and resilience is drawn from a Leadership Under Fire online Emerging Leaders Development Course.
Fall Leadership Development Course on the Farm
 

Calm Leadership in Hell’s Hundred Acres with Capt Andrew Serra FDNY (Ret)

Captain Andrew Serra spent 25 years with the FDNY, beginning his career as a Firefighter in Ladder 131, with rotations in Engine 231 and Engine 155, before moving to Squad 1. He later served as a Lieutenant in Engine 231 and ultimately as Captain of Ladder 20.
Beyond the firehouse, Capt Serra is an accomplished writer and author of several books, including Tradition Continuesand Hell’s Hundred Acres. His passion for history, New York City, and cities abroad has deeply influenced both his fire service career and his work as an author, shaping a perspective rooted in tradition, culture, and the enduring character of urban life.
Registration is open for our Fall Leadership Development Course on the Farm in western Maryland. 

Leading at the Unit Level with Jerry Smith Jr. BCFD

Jerry Smith Jr. is a 24-year veteran of the Baltimore City Fire Department.   He is assigned to Truck Co. 5 and presently detailed to Rescue Co. 1.  He was previously assigned to Truck Company 15.  Jerry is a twenty year member of the BCFD’s Dive Team and serves as a public safety scuba instructor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University of Maryland. Jerry has been actively involved with Leadership Under Fire since its inception in 2012.  This conversation about leadership at the unit level is from a recent LUF online course session. 

Exploring Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” Part 2 with LtCol Charlie Black USMC (Ret)

Since our formal inception more than a decade ago, the Leadership Under Fire (LUF) team has championed professional reading as a cornerstone of operational excellence. A close study of history’s most effective, mission-oriented leaders reveals a consistent thread: their success is closely tied to disciplined engagement with literature, reflection, and critical thought. In 2022, LUF launched its inaugural online book club, creating a forum for meaningful dialogue, shared perspective, and the kind of intellectual rigor that sharpens decision-making on the fireground and beyond.
 
In this week’s episode, LtCol Charlie Black explores Part 2 of Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning—a work forged in the harshest conditions imaginable, yet centered on a simple, enduring truth: even in the worst circumstances, we retain the ability to choose our attitude and find purpose. When conditions are chaotic and outcomes uncertain, purpose becomes the anchor, and how we choose to respond defines both our leadership and our impact.

Exploring Viktor Frankl’s “Man's Search for Meaning” with LtCol Charlie Black USMC (Ret)

Since our formal inception more than a decade ago, the Leadership Under Fire (LUF) team has championed professional reading as a cornerstone of operational excellence. A close study of history’s most effective, mission-oriented leaders reveals a consistent thread: their success is closely tied to disciplined engagement with literature, reflection, and critical thought. In 2022, LUF launched its inaugural online book club, creating a forum for meaningful dialogue, shared perspective, and the kind of intellectual rigor that sharpens decision-making on the fireground and beyond.
In this week’s episode, LtCol Charlie Black explores  Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning—a work forged in the harshest conditions imaginable, yet centered on a simple, enduring truth: even in the worst circumstances, we retain the ability to choose our attitude and find purpose. When conditions are chaotic and outcomes uncertain, purpose becomes the anchor, and how we choose to respond defines both our leadership and our impact.

Listening Makes Everyone Better with Lt Mike O'Connell FDNY

Our guest today is FDNY Lieutenant Mike O’Connell, a 10-year member of the Department. Before being promoted, he served as a firefighter with Engine 202 and Ladder 102 in Brooklyn. Mike is a graduate of St. John’s University and is a member of both the MPI and Leadership Under Fire teams.

Revisiting Jim McNamara’s Senior Man Feature Episode with FF Bob Athanas, FDNY

This episode is hosted by Jim McNamara. For those tuning in for the first time, Jim is a senior Firefighter at the FDNY and serves as a Human Performance Advisor for Leadership Under Fire. He’s also the principal author of the Leadership Under Fire Senior Man’s Performance Journal. Bob Athanas is our guest in this episode. Bob recently retired after 37 years of service with the FDNY. Bob grew up in Southbridge, MA, and served as a paid firefighter there from 1976-1983. He moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1983 and served four years as an FDNY fire alarm dispatcher in the Brooklyn Central Office and later the CADO Unit. Bob was appointed as a FDNY firefighter in 1987. He transferred to Rescue 3 in February of 1991 where he would spend the next 29 years of his career. Bob also served as an adjunct instructor at the FDNY Fire Academy and the lead instructor for thermal imager training for many FDNY training programs. He also taught at the FDNY Special Operations Command Technical Rescue School and helped develop the FDNY SOC Advanced Firefighter Rescue Training program. Bob was also a member of the Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1.

Revisiting A Historic Human Performance Episode of the Equitable Building Fire with Lt Matt Connor FDNY

In this episode, we revisit a conversation between Patti Murphy and FDNY Lt Matt Connor covering the Equitable Building fire on January 9th, 1912.  This event tested the courage and skill of the FDNY in some of the most extreme conditions. 
The 10-story building at 120 Broadway in Lower Manhattan was considered “fireproof.” In reality, it was cast iron, full of combustible materials, and lacked automatic fire protection. A discarded match in the basement sparked a fire that quickly spread through open elevator shafts and stairways. FDNY members battled frigid temperatures, high winds, and ice. Six people lost their lives, including Battalion Chief William J. Walsh, who was killed when part of the building collapsed.
Despite the danger, firefighters performed several dramatic rescues. The fire led to significant reforms in firefighting, from zoning resolutions and high-pressure hydrants to operational changes. Most notably, it inspired the creation of Rescue Company 1 in March 1915, which quickly fielded Draeger smoke helmets—providing the first rescue company in the United States with a breathing apparatus.
The Equitable Building was rebuilt with a steel frame, completed in 1915, and became the largest office building in the world by floor area for a time. Over the past century, it has housed countless commercial tenants, standing as a testament to American resilience and ingenuity.
In just a few weeks, FDNY members will return to the Equitable Building for an exercise testing next-generation Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. Ascending from the lobby to the upper floors in full gear and on air, they’ll connect the storied past of the FDNY with the fire service’s readiness for the future.  This episode originally aired January 13th,  2022. 

Reading and Responding to Black Swans with Jim Roussell USMC/CPD - Part 2

Since its formal inception more than a decade ago, the LUF Team has championed professional reading as a cornerstone of leader development. LUF believes that a close study of history’s most accomplished, mission-oriented leaders reveals a common thread: a deep engagement with literature and disciplined professional reading.
In 2022, LUF launched its inaugural book club. Since then, LUF’s online book clubs have served as a conduit for meaningful discourse, reflection, and critical thought across the profession.
This episode is Part 2 of Senior Mentor Jim Roussell’s exploration of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s The Black Swan, recorded during one of these book club discussions. Part 1 originally aired on August 21, 2024. In this continuation, Jim offers valuable insight into the leadership traits and organizational practices that enable mission-oriented leaders and units to adapt, endure, and succeed amid unpredictable and improbable events.

Continuing a Legacy of Service and Humanity with Lt Christopher Horgan FDNY

Lt Chris Horgan is a member of the FDNY, currently assigned to Ladder 20 in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. He is a 20-year veteran of the department and previously served with Engine 84 and Ladder 34 in Washington Heights.
In addition to his operational duties, Lt. Horgan has recently assumed a leadership role in the FDNY’s Mental Performance Initiative. He is a graduate of Villanova University and is an avid baseball player and lifelong fan of the game. Lt. Horgan resides in Rockland County with his wife.