Leadership Under Fire

Policing and Performance Under Pressure with Lt David Pawling, Barrington Police Department

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.

Expanding Leadership Development to Meet Emerging Challenges with Jacob Dutton

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.

Earning Longevity on the Fire Floor and Beyond with Firefighter James Lopez, FDNY R-2

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.

Remembering FDNY Chief William “Bill” M. Feehan

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. 

Revisiting the LUF Series: Remembering FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano–Part II

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. 

Revisiting Mental Sweat with Mental Performance Coach Hannah Huesman

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. 

Building a Company to Perform Under Pressure with Capt Brian McNulty, Milwaukee FD

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.  

Revisiting Leading with Character and Curiosity: From Combat to Moneyball with Sandy Alderson

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.

Growth and Gratitude Compliments of the Competitive Grind with Capt Aaron Miller, Fairfax County FRD

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.

Asking Questions to Inform Decisions and Leadership with LUF Chief Mentor Jim Roussell, USMC (Ret) & Chicago PD (Ret)

The following interview was hosted by LUF's Human Performance Advisor and Senior Man's Performance Journal author, Jim McNamara. The conversation was recorded at our 2023 National Leadership and Performance Summit, which was held in Annapolis, Maryland. The interview features Jim Roussell who has served as one of the Leadership Under Fire team’s chief mentors and advisors since LUF's formal inception in 2012. We hope you enjoy this episode, and Roussell's insightful contributions to the Summit. 
James Roussell retired from the USMC and the Chicago Police Department after serving several decades as a leader in both organizations. Most recently, Jim served as the Chief of Staff for the Chicago Police Department. Prior to serving as the Chief of Staff, Jim served as the Executive Officer of Area Central and spent a preponderance of his 36-year career in gang-tactical units. He commanded the Rogers Park 24th District and the department’s mobile strike force which targeted gang violence citywide. He has supervised all facets of emergency response and joint operations during his career. Jim is also a retired US Marine reserve Chief Warrant Officer 5. Jim served with the USMC for 39 years with the bulk of his service in infantry and intelligence assignments including three combat tours in Iraq. He has completed the Command and Staff College, Expeditionary Warfare School, and Marine Air Ground Task Force Intelligence Officer Course. Jim has a Doctor of Education from Olivet Nazarene University with emphasis on ethical leadership as well as a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Criminal Justice from Lewis University.