Leadership Under Fire

Mentorship and Tactical Coaching with Capt Mike Guli, FDNY

The recording you will hear in this episode of theLeadership Under Fire Humanizing the Narrative Podcast features LUFtactical performance advisor Captain Mike Guli. It was delivered as anonline presentation to leaders enrolled in an online LUF CoachingFirefighters and Fire Officers to Perform Optimally at Fires andEmergencies course. The course equips leaders and tactical trainerswith tools, concepts, and coaching strategies that optimize individualand until level performance under pressure.Capt Guli joined the ranks of the FDNY in 2005 and was a firefighterin Engine Co. 290 in East New York Brooklyn. He served as a Lieutenantin Engine Co. 55 in Lower Manhattan and presently serves as thecompany commander of Tower Ladder 86. Mike serves as a lead tacticalcoach for the FDNY’s MPI program. He has both a bachelor’s degree andmaster’s degree in human nutrition.

Grit, Growth, and Gratitude with Capt Tristan Tricarico, BCFD

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.

Year in Review and Outlook for 2024 with Jason Brezler and Jim McNamara

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. 

An Alaskan Mission-Oriented Mindset with Chief John Beebe, CMSFD

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.

Going the Distance with Lt Shane McKeon, FDNY

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. 

Leading and Managing Through Crisis with John Rabin, FEMA

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 Influence of Education and Learning on Leadership and Performance with Captain Gabe Angemi, Camden NJ FD

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.

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.