Leadership Under Fire

Registration for the LUF Fall 2026 Online Leadership Development Course for and by Emerging Leaders has opened. This course includes eight modules of dynamic instruction, discussion, and collaboration designed for leaders of all ranks and experience (inclusive of senior leaders) who are committed to preparing their young firefighters, units, and departments to gain and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging operational environment.
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The course group will meet via a web platform on Tuesday evenings (1930-2130 EST) during the semester (October through December). Of the many goals of this program, a primary one is to equip and encourage emerging leaders to embrace, create, and recognize opportunities to lead and exercise initiative in a fashion consistent with relative experience and culture.
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Course contributors include:
■ Keith Richards, FDNY & Mike O'Connell, FDNY
■ Rob Velazquez, FDNY & Daniel Stahl, FDNY
■ Tom Miller, FDNY & Callen Powers, UMASS
■ Charlie Laudenslager, FDNY & Ryan Lipkin, Con Fire
■ Shaun Ferguson, Cherry Hill NJ FD & Josh Krueger, Milwaukee FD
■ Sean McCauley, Philadelphia FD & Trevor Meador, Frederick Co. DFRS
■ Tori Gingrich, FDNY & Max Devane, FDNY
■ Jason Brezler, LUF Founder

https://web.cvent.com/event/eed2b45a-11a9-4694-9451-f4b2a13cf75d/summary

The LUF Team is honored to announce the Captain Freddie Simms Scholarship which affords a deserved leader the opportunity to attend the LUF Leadership Development Course on the Farm October 18-23 in Western Maryland at no cost. The 6-day day 5-night course consists of dynamic instruction, discussion, and collaboration focused on elevating tactical leadership. The course curriculum is geared towards unit level leaders, specifically company officers and firefighters. The immersive course is held on the Farm where participants will learn, reflect, eat, and sleep in a communal setting.

Freddie Simms joined the ranks of the FDNY in July of 2001. He was a firefighter in Ladder Co. 58 in the Bronx and a Lieutenant in Ladder Co. 40 in Harlem. In 2020 Freddie was promoted to the rank of Captain and returned to the Bronx where he was selected to assume command of Ladder Co. 58 in 2022. Those who knew Freddie and had worked with him knew that he was perfectly suited to command his beloved alma mater. A short time after assuming command of the company Freddie learned that he had cancer. Freddie battled cancer with great courage. Even during his darkest periods of suffering, he was more concerned with the welfare of others. Freddie’s battle with 9/11 cancer ended in June of 2025, just weeks before his 50th birthday.

Those who had the great fortune of knowing Freddie and benefiting from his leadership and friendship are committed to ensuring that his legacy of service lives on. Accordingly, the LUF Team will provide a scholarship to a leader who demonstrates the traits and attributes that Freddie exemplified and sought to foster in others.

Capt Freddie Simms Scholarship candidates should display:
• A love for the job that is infectious.
• A love for their family that exceeds their love for the job.
• Tactical competency under pressure at fire and emergency operations of consequence.
• A commitment to service in their community, church, and/or civic organizations.
• The virtue of a quiet professional.
• A serious regard for the job but the ability to not take themselves too seriously.
• A spirit of generosity in sharing knowledge and preparing junior members to have a greater impact on their unit and department.

Capt Freddie Simms Scholarship candidates must be nominated by a member junior to them. Nominations are to be submitted in the form of an insightful essay of no more than 1,000 words. Essays can be submitted via email to [email protected] with a subject line of Capt Freddie Simms Scholarship Nomination no later than Friday August 21st.

Registration for the LUF Fall 2026 Online Leadership Development Course for and by Emerging Leaders has opened. This course includes eight modules of dynamic instruction, discussion, and collaboration designed for leaders of all ranks and experience (inclusive of senior leaders) who are committed to preparing their young firefighters, units, and departments to gain and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging operational environment.
•••
The course group will meet via a web platform on Tuesday evenings (1930-2130 EST) during the semester (October through December). Of the many goals of this program, a primary one is to equip and encourage emerging leaders to embrace, create, and recognize opportunities to lead and exercise initiative in a fashion consistent with relative experience and culture.
•••
Course contributors include:
■ Keith Richards, FDNY & Mike O'Connell, FDNY
■ Rob Velazquez, FDNY & Daniel Stahl, FDNY
■ Tom Miller, FDNY & Callen Powers, UMASS
■ Charlie Laudenslager, FDNY & Ryan Lipkin, Con Fire
■ Shaun Ferguson, Cherry Hill NJ FD & Josh Krueger, Milwaukee FD
■ Sean McCauley, Philadelphia FD & Trevor Meador, Frederick Co. DFRS
■ Tori Gingrich, FDNY & Max Devane, FDNY
■ Jason Brezler, LUF Founder
•••

Summary - Fall 2026 Online Leadership Development Course for and by Emerging Leaders

A few seats remain for the 2026 Leadership Development Course (LDC). The course consists of five days and evenings of dynamic instruction, discussion, and collaboration focused on tactical leadership. The course curriculum is geared towards unit level leaders, specifically company officers and firefighters. The immersive course is held on the Farm where participants will learn, reflect, eat, and sleep in a communal setting.
The course also includes a staff ride of the Gettysburg Battlefield and a Tactical Fitness and Recovery Workshop.
Course themes include:
■ The Moral Imperative of Leadership
■ Mission-Oriented Leadership
■ Command Philosophy Development & Implementation
■ Leading Your Peers
■ Mental Performance at Fires and Emergencies
Registration is limited to 25 leaders.

Summary - 2026 LUF Leadership Development Course

Click on the link to read our 82nd Edition of the SMJ!

Senior Man's Performance Journal No. 82 SENIOR MAN'S PERFORMANCE JOURNAL This digital human performance journal is for men and women who lead, operate and compete in high-risk environments and ultra-competitive industries that demand we are the best versions of ourselves – physically, mentally, emotionally and morally. The intent of thi...

NEW EPISODE: “Going the Extra Mile(s): The Western States 100 with LT Shane McKeon, FDNY (Ret)”

Today, we are speaking with retired LT Shane McKeon as he is about to embark on his journey to complete the Western States 100.

Shane is a seasoned endurance athlete and dedicated student of leadership and performance. He joined the ranks of the FDNY in the aftermath of September 11th and spent many years serving as a firefighter in Engine Company 84 and Ladder Company 34 in Washington Heights before being promoted to lieutenant.

Throughout his career, Shane served as a lead fitness instructor at the FDNY Probationary Firefighter School, a program manager for the FDNY’s A Day in the Life of a Firefighter program in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and as a member of the FDNY’s First Line Supervisor Training Program.
Before joining the FDNY, Shane played Division I baseball and spent two seasons in professional baseball. Since becoming a member of the department, he has completed 25 marathons, numerous ultra-distance open-water swims, and two Ironman triathlons.

As we record this Shane will be competing in the Western States 100, the world’s oldest and most prestigious 100-mile endurance race.

Listen now on our website, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Samsung Podcast, or Podchaser. If you like our show, please leave a comment and rate us, subscribe and share it.

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Going the Extra Mile(s): The Western States 100 with LT Shane McKeon, FDNY (Ret) - Leadership Under Fire Today, we are speaking with retired LT Shane McKeon as he is about to embark on his journey to complete the Western States 100. Shane is a seasoned endurance athlete and dedicated student of leadership and performance. He joined the ranks of the FDNY in the aftermath of September 11th and spent many...

NEW EPISODE: “Building Tactical Proficiency with Capt Tim Young, SJCFR”

Our guest on this episode of the Leadership Under Fire: Humanizing the Narrative podcast is Capt Tim Young of the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Department in Florida. Captain Young is a 22-year veteran of the department and currently serves at Station 14, having previously been assigned to Station 10. An avid reader and lifelong student of the profession, he resides in St. Johns County with his family.

Listen now on our website, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Samsung Podcast, or Podchaser. If you like our show, please leave a comment and rate us, subscribe and share it.

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Building Tactical Proficiency with Capt Tim Young, SJCFR - Leadership Under Fire Our guest on this episode of the Leadership Under Fire: Humanizing the Narrative podcast is Capt Tim Young of the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Department in Florida. Captain Young is a 22-year veteran of the department and currently serves at Station 14, having previously been assigned to Station 10...

NEW EPISODE: “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.

Listen now on our website, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Samsung Podcast, or Podchaser. If you like our show, please leave a comment and rate us, subscribe and share it.

Click here to listen now:

A Reflection on Service and Resilience with Det Joseph Vigiano, NYPD - Leadership Under Fire Joseph John Vigiano is a former U.S. Marine and presently serves as a Detective with the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit 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 with a Third Mat...

NEW EPISODE: “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 Continues and 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.

Listen now on our website, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Samsung Podcast, or Podchaser. If you like our show, please leave a comment and rate us, subscribe and share it.

Click here to listen now:

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

NEW EPISODE: “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.

Listen now on our website, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Samsung Podcast, or Podchaser. If you like our show, please leave a comment and rate us, subscribe and share it.

Click here to listen now:

Leading at the Unit Level with Jerry Smith Jr. BCFD - Leadership Under Fire 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...