Leadership Under Fire

05/19/2026

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.

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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....

05/05/2026

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:

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...

04/30/2026

Read our 80th edition of the Senior Man’s Performance Journal by clicking the link below!

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...

04/21/2026

NEW EPISODE: “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.

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:

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 ...

04/10/2026

NEW EPISODE: “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.

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:

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 ...

04/08/2026

The Leadership Under Fire Team is excited to announce that registration for the 2026 Leadership Development Course (LDC) is open. 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.

https://web.cvent.com/event/8c77cc57-2d12-40fd-928d-6fb24afa258a/summary

03/20/2026

NEW EPISODE: “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.

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:

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.

03/05/2026

NEW EPISODE: “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.

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:

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 i...

03/05/2026

One seat remains for our Online Leadership Development Course for Fire-Rescue Leaders. Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/10f6b511-1c0d-4b95-ad90-b01b1ae72bcc/summary?fbclid=IwY2xjawQW6YtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJLbUtMNGI1YjJ2bDdrTVZTc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtE6FoqY8tjWEsd9UG1NM9AMI5SXdXc2FXuTMiDO8Gx0WFCggeH-_BBRQ0Wz_aem_BfdpUCfsmV3Wpwo8YAIk2w

02/19/2026

NEW EPISODE: “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.

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:

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....