Sep 11, 2026 · 25 min
FDNY chief turns 9/11 command into a leadership lesson
Let This Always Be The Answer | I Was the First FDNY Chief on the Scene on 9/11
Joseph Pfeifer’s firsthand account connects the human cost of 9/11 with the practical leadership required to act amid catastrophe and personal loss.
- 1Joseph Pfeifer arrived as the first FDNY chief at the World Trade Center and began assessing an unfolding disaster.
- 2Pfeifer says connecting, collaborating, and coordinating became essential leadership skills when every minute counted.
- 3His account carries the loss of his younger brother, Lieutenant Kevin Pfeifer, alongside the demands of command.
Don't miss
Joseph Pfeifer recounts arriving at the World Trade Center, assessing the unfolding catastrophe, and taking command before its full scale was clear.
The brief
Ryan Holiday opens with Brian Sweeney’s final minutes aboard hijacked United Airlines Flight 175, placing one person’s experience inside the wider tragedy of 9/11.
Joseph Pfeifer recounts arriving at the World Trade Center on a clear September morning, recognizing that something was seriously wrong, and beginning an assessment with a gas detector.
As the first FDNY chief on the scene, Pfeifer describes taking command amid chaos while confronting a disaster whose scale was still becoming clear.
Pfeifer’s leadership framework is practical rather than abstract: connect with people, collaborate across roles, and coordinate action when every minute counts.
The account is also personal, shaped by the loss of his younger brother, Lieutenant Kevin Pfeifer, and by the burden of leading through extraordinary pressure.
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