Leadership Under Fire

Charles “Sid” Heal retired as a Commander from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in 2008 after nearly 33 years of service, more than half of which was spent in units charged with handling law enforcement special and emergency operations. He was present for emergency operations at the Oklahoma City Bombing, the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, and the 2001 attacks. Sid also dedicated 35 years to the US Marine Corps Reserve and served four combat tours. He is the author of Sound Doctrineand Field Command, as well as more than 180 articles on law enforcement subjects. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Police Science from California State University, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in management from California Polytechnic University. He is also a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and the California Command College. He is the President of the California Association of Tactical Officers and the national chairman for Strategy Development for the National Tactical Officers Association. He is a frequent teacher at the U.S. military war colleges and has taught throughout the world.

Hannah Huesman is a Mental Performance Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies. She earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Psychology and Motor Behavior from The University of Tennessee, focusing on improving performance amongst athletes of all ages. Throughout her career she’s worked with business executives, actors, and members of the FDNY. She is also the host of #MentalSweatMonday on social media. This one-minute video, posted every Monday, offers tips and tricks to help you work on your mental game. She’s a former two-sport Division I student-athlete, in both basketball and softball and serves as a human performance advisor for Leadership Under Fire. 

This is the second and final installment in a series dedicated to Remembering FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano. Captain Vigiano passed away on July 8, 2018, after a long battle with cancer—leaving behind an indelible impression on those who knew him best. Captain Vigiano was a resilient leader, dedicated to a life of service. Aside from his impressive professional record, Captain Vigiano was most proud of his family and the paths his two sons chose: John Jr., an FDNY firefighter, and Joe, an NYPD detective. Captain Vigiano and his wife, Jan, lost both their sons on the morning of September 11, 2001. In this episode, we’ll take a closer look at his personal life and the support he and his wife provided our nation’s post-9/11 military veterans. You’ll hear from almost a dozen people who were impacted by his leadership, as well as from Captain Vigiano himself. In 2015, he sat on a panel at a Leadership Under Fire Conference reflecting on risk and resilience which we’ll play for you throughout the episode. 

FDNY Captain John T. Vigiano was a resilient leader, dedicated to a life of service. On July 8, 2018, he passed away after a long battle with cancer, but left behind a far-reaching legacy. 

Captain Vigiano was a former Sergeant in the US Marine Corps. Prior to his enlistment in the Marines, he enlisted in the New York National Guard at the young age of fifteen. He eventually joined the FDNY in 1962, working his way up to Captain at Ladder Co. 176. He retired one of the Department’s most decorated fire Captains after 36 years on the job.

Aside from his impressive professional record, Captain Vigiano was most proud of his family and the paths his two sons chose: John Jr., an FDNY firefighter, and Joe, an NYPD detective. Captain Vigiano and his wife, Jan, lost both their sons on the morning of September 11, 2001—an unthinkable tragedy which they were able to transform into continued service. To honor their sons, they worked tirelessly donating their time and resources to improving the lives of Gold Star Families and our nation’s post-9/11 military veterans.

In the fall of 2015, Captain Vigiano sat on a Risk and Resilience panel in Bowie, Maryland at a Leadership Under Fire Conference and spent the evening candidly reflecting on risk and resilience. In this first episode of a two-part series, you’ll hear some of that discussion as well as from nearly a dozen people who knew him best and were impacted by his leadership.

This summer, we took a hiatus from publishing new episodes. But thanks to the brief pause, the Leadership Under Fire team accomplished a lot. In this episode, listeners are brought up to speed and get a glimpse of what's to come. 

Romeo Okwara currently is a Defensive End for the NFL’s Detroit Lions. Prior to this, he played college football at Notre Dame and signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Born June 17, 1995, Romeo stands 6’4” and weighs 275 pounds. But as we’ll discuss in this episode, when it comes to Okwara, there’s more than meets the eye. He moved to the United States from Nigeria with his family in 2005, and he played organized football for the first time a year later, but his lack of experience resulted in him being cut from the team. During his childhood, Romeo’s parents stressed the importance of education to him and his siblings so much so that during the recruiting process he would not entertain interest from colleges whose academic reputations did not meet his standards. And the one thing he rarely leaves home without is his camera. Off the field, he indulges his creative side and enjoys traveling the world.

Renewable energy offers many benefits to the environment and its workforce. But while these are often great jobs, they can also be dangerous. Renewable energy workers are exposed to hazards that can result in fatalities and serious injuries. Many incidents involving falls, severe burns from electrical shocks and fires, and crushing injuries have been reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Our guest in this episode, Troy Ryan, is the Director of Operations for Leeward Renewable Energy—an industry leader in North America. Prior to joining the private sector, Ryan served in the US Marine Corps. His experience in these two seemingly different, yet similarly high-risk industries is the impetus of this interview.

Stacy Shilling has dedicated the last 21 years to educating patients and families about health and wellness as a Registered Nurse. After obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Stacy was awarded a grant from Stevenson University for her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus in Population Based Care Coordination. Stacy’s career has included caring for patients in Neuroscience Critical Care, Medical Oncology Critical Care, Interventional Radiology, and as an Organ Procurement Coordinator for transplant. In her current role, as the Coordinator for Nursing Clinical Standards at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Stacy assures that nursing policy and practice implement current evidence-based practice for all 3,800 nurses.

The Senior Firefighter is one of the most significant roles in the fire service. A member who carries this informal position can be a valuable source of experience, knowledge and leadership. Often their actions dictate the level of success that members of a company will achieve both individually and as a whole. James McNamara is a dedicated member of the FDNY who embodies the true characteristics of a senior firefighter. Jim joined the FDNY in 1994 and eventually was assigned to Engine 37. He currently serves in Ladder Co. 26 in Harlem. Jim is a long-standing member of the Division 3 Safety Committee and a Company and Battalion Delegate for the Uniformed Firefighters Association. He serves on the strategic committee for the FDNY's Mental Performance Initiative and has developed the operational research component in partnership with Columbia University. He attended Thomas College in Waterville, Maine where he played basketball.

Colonel Michael Wyly was a principal author of the FMFM 1 – Warfighting manual, a seminal doctrinal publication that cemented the USMC’s adoption of maneuver warfare under the leadership of Commandant Al Gray. Following his retirement in 1992, Colonel Wyly founded the Bossov Ballet Theatre in Maine. He has continued to actively publish in professional journals on modern war and lead intellectual efforts designed to improve the US military’s operational and strategic capability set.