Jerry Tracy, Jack J. Murphy and James J. Murtagh

Gerald (Jerry) Tracy, FDNY Battalion Chief (ret.) 

Jerry Tracy served more than 30 years with the Fire Department of the City of New York, retiring as a battalion commander. His assignments began as a firefighter in Engine 90 in the Bronx and Ladder 108 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As a lieutenant, he was assigned to Ladder 4 in Midtown Manhattan, and he served as captain of Tower Ladder 35 on the Upper West Side. He formed and became the first captain of Squad 18, a special operations unit and the only squad company located in Manhattan. Squad 18 responds to every fire and major emergency in their response area of Manhattan.

Jerry has developed numerous training programs, as well as refining and improving the manual, Firefighting Policy and Procedures, for the FDNY. He has authored and coauthored numerous articles for Fire Engineering, With New York Firefighters, and other fire service publications, as well as training publications for the FDNY. He was the catalyst for the research conducted by NIST, UL, and NYU Polytechnic Institute on smoke management and fire behavior in high-rise buildings, emphasizing research with wind-driven fires. He was a keynote speaker at the 2017 FDIC conference and received the Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award from Fire Engineering in 2016.

Jack J. Murphy, Chairman, Fire and Life Safety Director’s Association of Greater New York, and Adjunct Professor, John Jay College/Fire Science Institute (NYC)

Jack J. Murphy is a retired fire marshal and former deputy chief of the Leonia (NJ) Fire Department. He was appointed deputy fire coordinator for Bergen County. He serves on the NFPA High-Rise Building Safety Advisory Committee, the NFPA 1620 Pre-Incident Planning Committee, and the Fire and Life Safety Director’s Committee. He has represented the Northeast IAFC region on the Fire Code Action Committee for the International Code Council.  

He obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Industry Technology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science and an Associate of Arts/Liberal Arts. He holds a certificate in Security Management. 

Jack has authored numerous fire service articles, as well as a field handbook, Rapid Incident Command System. He coauthored the chapters, “Bridging the Gap: Fire Safety and Green Buildings,” and “Pre-Incident Planning,” in Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II. In 1997, he was appointed an FDNY honorary battalion chief. Jack also serves as a Clarion Fire and Rescue Group/FDIC Advisory Board Member and is a contributing editor for Fire Engineering magazine. He received the Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award from Fire Engineering 2012.

James J. Murtagh, FDNY Deputy Chief (ret.)

James has served as Assistant Chief, Fire Department of the City of New York, Commander, Borough of Bronx, and Commander, Bureau of Training and 15th Division in Brooklyn. He has served as Department Project Manager for Computerization of Fire Apparatus; Fire Stations; and Personnel Records. He also served as Deputy Chief, Bronx 7th Division, 8th Battalion Chief in Midtown Manhattan, Commander, Engine 48, Bronx, and Lieutenant, Ladder 4 and 35, Midtown Manhattan.

James holds a Master of Public Administration degree, a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science, and an Associate of Science in Fire Science.

James is a graduate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Fire Protection Management and an adjunct undergraduate professor at John Jay College and Western Oregon University. He is a course developer for the National Fire Academy: Command and Control of Fire Operations, Incident Command for High-Rise Operations, and Incident Command for Collapse Operations. He is also a course developer and instructor for High-Rise Operations, New York State Fire Academy. He authored How to Prepare for Firefighter Examinations for the Barron’s Educational Series. He has been named to NYC Top 40, Senior Executive Program and is a certified city manager for the City of New York.