>>> TONIGHT, THE FIGHT FOR ALBANY IS ON.

FORMER GOVERNOR DAVID PATTERSON BREAKS DOWN THE RACE FOR HIS OLD JOB AS WELL AS OTHER CRUCIAL CONTESTS IN THIS ELECTION SEASON.

THEN MEET THE FIREFIGHTERS FAMILY CARRYING ON THE LEGACY OF THE HIGHEST RANKING FIREFIGHTER KILLED ON 9/11, WHO HELD EVERY RANK IN THE FDNY.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

ELECTION DAY IN NEW YORK IS FAST APPROACHING AND WE'RE ALL NOW LESS THAN PHI WEEKS AWAY UNTIL THE BIG DAY ON NOVEMBER 8th.

THAT'S WHEN NEW YORKERS WILL CHOOSE BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND HER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, LEE ZELDIN.

THEY'LL ALSO CAST VOTES FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THE HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES AND MANY MORE.

SO JOINING ME NOW WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER RACES TO WATCH, A MAN WHO KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT STATEWIDE ELECTIONS, FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR DAVID PATTERSON.

GOVERNOR PATTERSON, IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.

>> GOOD TO BE BACK, JENNA.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, LET'S START WITH THE TOP OF THE BALLOT, IF YOU WILL.

THE TOP OF THE TICKET AND THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

NOW, WE'VE SEEN SOME POLLS THAT HAVE GOVERNOR HOCHUL SEVERAL POINTS, DOUBLE DIGIT POINTS AHEAD OF LEE ZELDIN BUT OTHER POLLS THAT SHOW IT MIGHT BE A SLIMMER MARGIN.

SHE'S GOT A LOT MORE MONEY, BUT HOW DO YOU READ THIS RACE?

>> THIS IS WHY THEY HAVE ELECTIONS.

THE ONLY POLL THAT'S GOING TO COUNT IS ON ELECTION DAY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT GOVERNOR HOCHUL IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 12 POINTS AHEAD OF CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN.

I THINK SHE JUMPED INTO A DIFFICULT SITUATION AT THE END OF LAST AUGUST AND HAS PERFORMED VERY ADMIRABLY AS A GOVERNOR.

SHE DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM MAKING DECISIONS AND MOVING FORWARD.

AND SHE IS ONE OF THOSE VERY UNIQUE PEOPLE WHO IS IN POLITICS BUT IS VERY DOWN TO EARTH WHEN YOU MEET HER.

JUST A VERY GENUINE PERSONALITY.

I THINK THE VOTERS OF NEW YORK ARE THINKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT CRIME.

I THINK THAT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HOW BAIL REFORM WORKS.

BAIL IS NOT RELATED TO THE CRIME, IT'S RELATED TO PRODUCING THE DEFENDANT AT THE TRIAL.

AND SO THIS WHOLE IDEA OF -- OF JUDGES BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THE DEFENDANT IS -- DOES EXIST IN 49 OTHER STATES, SO NEW YORK WOULD BE WELL TO ADOPT IT.

BUT EVEN AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, THE BAIL REFORM THAT WAS PUT IN THE LEGISLATION IN 2018 WAS RELATED TO MISDEMEANORS AND NONVIOLENT FELONIES.

NOW, VIOLENT FELONIES, SEX CRIMES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES STILL ALLOW THE JUDGE TO REMAND THE DEFENDANT.

I DON'T THINK THE REPUBLICANS HAVE FIGURED THAT OUT YET, AND TRYING TO HYPE THE PUBLIC BY ACTING AS IF THE SYSTEM IS FAILING HERE IS WRONG.

I THINK THE SYSTEM COULD BE CHANGED.

I THINK THE JUDGES DO NEED MORE JURISDICTION WHEN IT COMES TO DANGEROUSNESS OF DEFENDANTS, BUT I WOULD NEVER GO AS FAR AS SAYING THAT IT WOULD SAVE LIVES TO CHANGE THAT, BECAUSE ON THE VIOLENT FELOIES RIGHT NOW, THOSE DEFENDANTS ARE GENERALLY REMANDED.

>> SO, THEN, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IS THAT PERHAPS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'VE SEEN THE STATEWIDE REPUBLICAN PARTY STRUGGLE TO HAVE STATEWIDE OFFICE?

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

>> WELL, THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THERE'S SORT OF LIKE 2.2 TO 1 REGISTRATION GAP, MOSTLY DEMOCRATIC, BUT THEY HAVE PREVAILED, AND THEY DID LAST YEAR -- WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT IN NASSAU COUNTY.

THEY BEAT THE LEGISLATOR WHO INTRODUCED THE BAIL REFORM LEGISLATION.

THEY BEAT HIM BY 20 POINTS.

AND THE -- THERE'S SORT OF THE LANDSLIDE, ALSO CAPTURED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SEAT FOR BRUCE BLAKEMAN OVER LAURA CURRAN WHO HAD BEEN THE NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE BEFORE THAT.

SO I THINK THAT IT'S POSSIBLE GOVERNOR PATAKI OVERGAME A DEFICIT IN THE POLLS IN 1984 FOR CUOMO WHO WAS RUNNER FOR HIS FOURTH TERM.

THAT MAY HAVE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT.

BUT IF THEIR MESSAGE WAS MORE CONCRETE I THINK THEY'D HAVE A BETTER CHANCE.

>> SPEAKING OF OF COURSE CRIME AND BAIL REFORM BEING SUCH HIGH PRIORITIES OF AT LEAST SUCH HIGH TALKING POINTS FOR VOTERS IN THIS STATE RACE, ANOTHER RACE THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE IS OF COURSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE.

WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY ATTORNEY GENERAL TISH JAMES, LETITIA JAMES HOLDS THE SEAT, BUT DO YOU SEE THAT AS REMAINING AFTER NOVEMBER?

>> I THINK IT WOULD REMAIN AFTER NOVEMBER.

I THINK HER OPPONENT HAS SOUNDED MANY OF THE SAME ALARMS THAT ARE FALSE ALARMS RELATED TO WHAT BAIL ACTUALLY IS AND WHAT IT SHOULD BE, I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GETTING RE-ELECTED.

>> KEEPING THOSE TWO SEATS IN MIND, LET'S SAY, THEORETICALLY, SINCE AS YOU SAID VERY CORRECTLY WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER, WHAT ABOUT THE MAKEUP OF THE LEGISLATURE?

WE KNOW DEMOCRATS HAVE A VERY LARGE ADVANTAGE, HOLD A LOT MORE SEATS IN THE ASSEMBLY AND EVEN THE SENATE.

AND YET AT THE SAME TIME I THINK A LOT OF PROGRESSIVES HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED THAT NEW YORK HASN'T DONE SOME -- PERHAPS SOME OF THE MORE PROGRESSIVE INITIATIVES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN EVEN THOUGH DEMOCRATS HOLD THE MAJORITY IN OUR LEGISLATURE.

>> DEMOCRATS NOT ONLY HOLD THE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, THEY HAVE A VETO PROOF MAJORITY IN BOTH HOUSES.

THEY COULD LITERALLY RUN THE GOVERNMENT AROUND THE GOVERNOR IF THEY FEEL LIKE DOING IT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THE PROGRESSIVES WANTED TO DO WITH SOME OF THE LEGISLATIONS THEY WANTED TO PASS.

BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING FIND OUT IN NOVEMBER THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE SEATS IN BOTH HOUSES.

I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE.

THAT, BUT THEY WILL LOSE SEATS AND THAT MAY BRING THEM TO THE TABLE ON SOME OF THE MORE PRAGMATIC ISSUES THAT NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT AS WE GO INTO THIS MIDTERM ELECTION NOT ONLY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, BUT OF COURSE THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK.

>> KEEPING THINGS LOCAL, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TOP ISSUES THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE PICKING UP IN JANUARY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MAKEUP IS?

>> AS I SAID BEFORE, I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS IF THE DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE ASSIGNED MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUDGES TO RULE ON THE DANGEROUSNESS OF DEFENDANTS.

THEY'RE THE LAST PERSON THAT THE DEFENDANTS SEE BEFORE THEY'RE FREED, AND THERE HAVE BEEN OBVIOUSLY SOME SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S BEEN RECIDIVISM AND PEOPLE WHO GOT BAIL WENT OUT AND COMMITTED CRIMES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

I THINK ANOTHER WAY TO SOLVE THAT WOULD BE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT YOU COULD EVEN ASK FOR BAIL BASED ON PREVIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND I'M NOT TALK ABOUT TIMES THAT YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP.

I'M TALKING ABOUT TIMES WHEN YOU COMMITTED A CRIME AFTER YOU WERE OUT ON BAIL.

I THINK THE EDUCATION ISSUE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM AS WE HAVE MORE AND MORE OBSTACLES TO EDUCAING YOUNGER PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE GREATER NUMBER OF DISABLED STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE CRY FOR MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS.

THE WHOLE THING IS SOMETHING I THINK THE LEGISLATURE WILL LOOK INTO.

AND ALSO, THE ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS REALLY FEEDING THE CRIME RATE MORE AND MORE.

YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD PROBABLY BE INSTITUTIONALIZED AND NOT THE WAY IT WAS IN THE ERA OF THE SHRIKE OR ONE WHO FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.

LESS THAN 3% OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS BECOME VIOLENT.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

BUT WE HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS STORIES ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE SEEK HELP SOMETIMES THERE ISN'T THE BEDS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF SAID HELP, SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THAT DOES BECOME AN ISSUE THAT THE LEGISLATURE TAKES UP.

BUT TURNING FROM OUR LOCAL POLITICS TO OF COURSE NATIONAL POLITICS, EVERYBODY'S FOCUSING ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN WASHINGTON AFTER NOVEMBER.

AND WE HAVE SOME PRETTY INTERESTING CONGRESSIONAL RACES HAPPENING HERE IN NEW YORK STATE.

SO, OF COURSE THE 19th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION.

THAT WAS A WIN THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE PERHAPS DIDN'T SEE HAPPENING FOR TIM RYAN.

BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER CONGRESSIONAL RACES THAT HAVE GOTTEN YOUR ATTENTION IN TERMS OF HOW THEY COULD SHIFT THE BALANCE IN WASHINGTON?

>> WELL, ONE RACE THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING IS IN LONG ISLAND, THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL SEAT FORMERLY HELD BY FORMER CONGRESSMAN AND FORMER COUNTY EXECUTIVE TOM SWAZY, THAT MR.

LE FAYSON, RUNNING AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, A CONSULTANT TO MANY DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING MYSELF.

AND THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE BOTH CANDIDATES HAPPEN TO BE GAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RACE BETWEEN TWO GAY CANDIDATES.

AND HERE WE ARE IN 2022, 20 YEARS AFTER DECEMBER 17th, 2002, WHICH WAS MY FIRST DAY AS MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, WE PASSED LEGISLATION BANNING THE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBTQ PEOPLE IN THE WORKPLACE.

SO I THINK THEIR DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES WILL DETERMINE THE WINNER AS OPPOSED TO THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

>> UH-HUH.

WELL, THAT WOULD BE I THINK AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT FOR AMERICAN POLITICS WHERE PHILOSOPHIES TAKES PLACE OVER IDENTITY.

BUT I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK, THOUGH.

BECAUSE WHEN I MENTIONED THE UNEXPECTED WIN IN NEW YORK'S 19th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, I SHOULD ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT IS AN EXPIRING DISTRICT.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL NEW DISTRICTS COMING ONLINE, AND WHAT WAS THE 19th DISTRICT WILL NONGER BE THE 19th DISTRICT.

I COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT THE 11th DISTRICT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT THESE CHANGING DISTRICT LINES AND FUZZINESS ABOUT WHAT'S RUNNING WHERE, AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE VOTERS ARE CONCERNED, THAT MA MIGHT ADD CONFUSION, OR DO YOU EXPECT PEOPLE GOING INTO MIDTERMS TO JUST VOTE ALONG PARTY LINES?

>> WELL, THE COURT RULING IN THE REAPPORTIONMENT CASES, NOT BECAUSE -- IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR THIS REASON -- BUT IT IS GOING TO FAVOR SOME REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES THAT WOULD HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE REAPPORTIONED OUT BY THE DEMOCRATS.

HERE'S A SITUATION WHERE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CONCEDE THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAD A POINT HERE.

BECAUSE I SUED THE LEGISLATURE MYSELF IN 2004 CLAIMING THAT THEY WERE DRAWING THE REAPPORTIONMENT LINES IN SUCH AN OBTUSE WAY AS TO LIMIT DEMOCRATIC VOTES AND PARTICULARLY IN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC AREAS.

SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE PROCESS IS MORE EVEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, LET THE BEST MAN OR THE BEST WOMAN WIN.

>> OKAY.

I MEAN, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FAIR ENOUGH.

ONE FINAL QUESTION THAT I THINK PEOPLE ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE OF THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA WONDER, AND THAT IS, WITH THE POST COVID DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS, DO YOU SEE THAT PLAYING A BIGGER ROLE, OR A ROLE PERHAPS AT ALL, IN THE WAY THAT SOME OF THESE RACES PLAY OUT?

>> WELL, DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS HAVE ALWAYS INFLUENCED POLITICS, AND THAT'S WHERE REAPPORTIONMENT WAS ABUSED AT TIMES TO SAVE PEOPLE WHOSE NEIGHBORHOODS CHANGED AND THEY DECIDED TO GO TO A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD AND BECOME THEIR LEGISLATOR.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE CITY DUE TO COVID IS REVERSING ITSELF.

I GOT SHOVED THREE TIMES ON THE SUBWAY THE OTHER DAY.

THAT'S HOW I KNOW IT'S REVERSING ITSELF.

>> ON THAT NOTE, GOVERNOR PATTERSON, ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.

GREAT TO GET YOUR UNIQUE INSIGHT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU, HOPEFULLY AGAIN AFTER THE ELECTION.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>>> WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

FOR FOUR GENERATIONS THE FEEHAN FAMILY HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, FROM THE DAWN OF THE MOTORIZED FIRE TRUCK TO THE 1970s WHEN THE BRONX WAS BURNING TO THE DEVASTATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 11th ATTACKS, A FEEHAN HAS WORN AN FDNY PATCH.

BILL FEEHAN WAS THE HIGHEST RANKING MEMBER WHEN HE WAS KILLED AND TWO DECADES LATER HIS LEGACY LIVES ON BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILY.

HIS EXTRAORDINARY VIS AND HOW IT REFLECTS THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF "FIVE FLOORS UP, THE HEROIC FAMILY STORY OF FOUR GENERATIONS IN THE FDNY."

BRIAN McDONALD JOINS US NOW.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> HI, RAFAEL.

NICE TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> BRIAN, FIRST OF ALL, VERY QUICKLY, WHY IS THE TITLE OF THE BOOK FIVE FLOORS UP?

WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANT OF THE WORDS OF THE STORY?

WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT THE DANGERS FIREFIGHTERS FACE EVERY DAY?

>> THE SECOND GENERATION PERSON IN THE STORY IS CHIEF WILLIAM FEEHAN, AS YOU SAID.

IN THE EARLY '70s HE WAS PROMOTED THE CAPTAIN AND ASSIGNED TO A FIREHOUSE IN HARLEM, BUT THE '70s WAS THE TIME THE BRONX WAS BURNING BUT IT WASN'T ONLY THE BRONX.

OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY WAS ON FIRE ALSO, AS WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD HE WAS ASSIGNED TO.

AND HE WALKED INTO THE FIREHOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SEE THIS CREW OF FIREFIGHTERS HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE NAKED SIT AT A TABLE.

IT WAS THEIR WAY OF GIVES HIM THE INITIATION.

HE DIDN'T SAY A WARD.

HE PASSED THE INITIATION.

JUST GOT HIS MEAL, WENT UP TO HIS OFFICE.

THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE FIREHOUSE WAS WAS LINED WITH FIVE-STORY TENMENT BUILDINGS.

ONE OF THE TOUGHEST FIRES TO FIGHT, SMALL HALLWAYS, STAIRS, MADE OFF WOOD, LOTS OF WINDOWS.

SO WHEN THEY'D GET A CALL AT A TENEMENT THEY'D SAY OUR LUCK IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR, FIVE FLOORS DEEP INTO THE APARTMENT, WHICH WOULD BE THE TOUGHEST PLACE TO GO.

SO THEY CAME UP WITH THE EXPRESSION, FIVE FLOORS UP, FIVE ROOMS DEEP.

THAT'S HOW I GOT THE TITLE FOR THE BOOK.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOUR BOOK REALLY UNDERLINES IS REALLY -- WE ALL KNOW IT, BUT YOUR BOOK SHOWS IT, HOW DANGEROUS IT IS FOR THESE MEN EVERY DAY.

LET'S MOVE ON.

AS WE SAID, THE CHIEF PROTAGONIST IS CHIEF BILL FEEHAN, AND WE'LL GET MORE INTO HIS STORY IN A MOMENT.

BUT YOU START WITH THE STORY OF HIS FATHER, WILLIAM PATRICK FEEHAN, THE MAN WHO BEGAN THIS FIRE FIGHTING DYNASTY.

TELL US MORE ABOUT HIM AND HOW HE REFLECTED THE FDNY AT THE TIME.

>> HE WAS A LATE COMER.

THERE WERE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING IT.

HE WAS THE YOUNGEST OF TEN CHILDREN OF AN IRISH IMMIGRANT FAMILY, AND HE TOOK CARE OF HIS MOTHER UNTIL SHE DIED.

HE JOINS THE DEPARTMENT WHEN HE WAS 34.

HE WAS A LATE COMER.

BUT AS SOON AS HE GOT INTO THE DEPARTMENT HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.

HE WAS FEROCIOUS AS A FIREFIGHTER.

ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND OUT INTERVIEWING FIREFIGHTERS, THERE'S A CLASS OF FIREFIGHTER WHO WILL STAY AS A FIREFIGHTER, WILL NOT LOOK TO BE PROMOTED, BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE ACTION OF RUNNING INTO BURNING BUILDINGS.

HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, ANY AMBITION TO GET AHEAD OR ANYTHING.

THEY WANT THE FIGHT FIRES.

AND WILLIAM FEEHAN, THE FIRST, WAS DEFINITELY THAT KIND OF FIREFIGHTER.

HE HAD WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE HERO GENE.

HE'D RUN INTO A BURNING BUILDING TO SAVE SOMEBODY HE DIDN'T KNOW WITH NO REGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY.

AND HE WAS HOSPITALIZED -- I BELIEVE HE WAS HOSPITALIZED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES.

IT WAS A DANGEROUS TIME TO BE A FIREFIGHTER FOR SURE.

>> SO, HIS SON WAS ALSO A HERO, BUT UNLIKE HIS FATHER, I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAD AMBITION, BUT HE -- TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.

GIVE US THE HIGHLIGHTS OF CHIEF FEEHAN'S FDNY CAREER.

>> REMARKABLE CAREER, UNIQUE CAREER.

HE WAS THE ONLY FIREFIGHTER, ONLY MEMBER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HOLD EVERY RANK IN THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING FIRE COMMISSIONER FOR A SHORT TIME IN THE 1990s DURING THE DINKINS ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK HIS WIFE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT.

HIM NOT STAYING.

BECAUSE I THINK HE WOULD HAVE STAYED AS A FIREFIGHTER, TOO.

HE LOVED THE ACTION, BUT HE WANTED TO START A FAMILY, AND HIS WIFE WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH AT HOME AND WANTED TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

FIREFIGHTERS ARE WOEFULLY UNDERPAID.

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO RAISE A FAMILY ON THAT KIND OF SALARY YOU HAVE TO NOT ONLY GO UP THE LADDER BUT WORK SECOND JOBS.

AND FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS THE CITY -- FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACTUALLY, FAMOUS FOR MOONLIGHTING.

CHIEF FEEHAN WAS NO EXCEPTION.

HE HAD TO DO IT BECAUSE OF THE KIDS AND TUITION.

>> LET'S TURN THE 9/11, WHICH OBVIOUSLY OUR VIEWERS WOULD GUESS IS THE MOST MOVING AND POWERFUL SECTION OF YOUR BOOK.

AS YOU'RE RIGHT, ON LEARNING ON THE MORNING OF 9/11 THAT HIS FATHER HAD RUSHED TO THE TWIN TOWERS, CHIEF FEEHAN'S SON BILLY CALMED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT HIS DAD BY REASONING THAT SOMEONE SO HIGH IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND 71 YEARS OLD TO BOOT, WOULD NOT BE PUT IN HARM'S WAY, BUT OF COURSE HE WAS PUT IN HARM'S WAY AND PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR BEING RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

HOW DOES A 71-YEAR-OLD DEPUTY COMMISSIONER END UP IN THE THICK OF IT?

THE WAY I WAS THINKING OF IT WHEN I WAS READING YOUR BOOK WAS IF EISENHOWER HAD BEEN IN ONE OF THE LANDING BOATS ON D-DAY.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> I WRITE IN HIS BOOK HIS FACE FELT THE HEED FOR A THOUSAND FIRES.

PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN KNOW TASK BUT HE'S WORK IN THE BUSY FIREHOUSES, SO IF IT'S AN EXAGGERATION, IT'S NOT MUCH OF ONE.

HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY.

WHEN BILLY, HIS SON, AT FIRST BELIEVED HIS FATHER WOULD BE SAFE, ON FURTHER CONSIDERATION HE KNEW HIS FATHER WAS GOING TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF IT.

THERE WAS NO CHOICE.

HE WAS IN THE NORTH TOWER AND, THE NORTH TOWER WAS THE FIRST COMMAND POST.

COMMISSIONER VON ESSEN DIDN'T WANT HIM THERE, TOLD SOMEBODY TO SAY, THIS IS NO PLACE FOR A 71-YEAR-OLD.

AND VON ESSEN WENT OVER THE CHIEF FEEHAN AND SAID, LISTEN, LET'S PUT YOU SOMEWHERE YOU CAN IMAGINE THINGS.

AND CHIEF FEEHAN HAD SOME VERY SHORT WORDS TO VON ESSEN THAT TRANSLATED MEANS, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

>> AND AS YOU WRITE, TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THE COMMISSIONER ACTUALLY ASKED HIM TO GIVE ANOTHER FIREFIGHTER HIS HELMET.

THAT DIDN'T GO SO WELL.

>> NEW YORK IT DIDN'T GO SO WELL.

MAY AS WELL ASKED HIM FOR HIS PANTS.

IT WAS NOT GOING TO FLY.

AS IT TURNED OUT, AFTER THE FIRST TOWER CAME DOWN, IT SEVERELY DAMAGED THE MARRIOTT HOTEL.

THERE WERE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE HOTEL.

CHIEF FEEHAN AND RAY DOWNY, A LEGENDARY FIRE CHIEF WERE COMMANDING A RESCUE OPERATION FOR FIREFIGHTERS STUCK IN THE HOTEL, AND THAT'S WHEN THE NORTH TOWER CAME DOWN, KILLED ALL THREE OF THEM.

>> AT LEAST HIS FAMILY HAS THE CONSOLATION OF KNOWING THAT CHIEF FEEHAN, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WAY HE WANTED TO GO, FROM EVERYTHING THAT YOU WRITE.

IT SEEMS THAT'S THE TRUTH, CORRECT?

>> YEAH, YEAH.

BILLY -- THE NEXT DAY BILLY JR. -- HE'S NOT A JR., BUT THE YOUNGER BILLY WENT TO SEE WHERE HIS DAD WAS KILLED, AND IN THE PILE, IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS STILL A CRIME SCENE.

IT WAS A SMOKING, VERY DANGEROUS PLACE.

BUT HE GOT TO WHERE HIS FATHER WAS KILLED, THE SPOT, AND HE SAID HE COULD HAVE STAYED THERE ALL NIGHT.

HE SAID HE FELT LIKE IT WAS HIS FATHER'S LAST BREATH HUNG IN THE AIR.

AND IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL -- HE TELLS THE STORY 21 YEARS LATER, AND THE TEARS COME DOWN.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, BRIAN THROUGHOUT YOUR BOOK, YOU WRITE ABOUT A NUMBER OF FIRES THAT KAURED OVER THE YEARS IN THE CITY.

FIRES WHICH CONTAINED LESSONS THAT IF THEY HAD BEEN HEEDED WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SAVED A LOT OF LIVES ON 9/11, CERTAINLY A LOT OF LIVES OF FIREFIGHTERS.

WHAT WERE THOSE LESSONS?

THAT WEREN'T HEEDED?

WHY WERE THEY NOT HEEDED?

AND HAVE THEY BEEN HEEDED SINCE 9/11?

>> WELL, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.

I DID AN EVENT WITH CHIEF JOSEPH PFEIFFER WHO WAS THE FIRST CHIEF.

IF YOU REMEMBER, FRENCH FILMMAKERS WERE FOLLOWING A CHIEF THAT DAY.

HE WAS THAT MAN.

AMERICAN HERO.

HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SHOWED ON 9/11, INCLUDING THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AGENCIES.

THERE WERE POLICE IN POLICE HELICOPTERS OVER THE BUILDINGS WARNING THE POLICE COMMAND THAT THE BUILDINGS WERE GOING TO COME DOWN, AND THAT WARNING NEVER GOT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF CULTURE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS, BUT IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS JUST THE STRUCTURE WAS WRONG.

THE STRUCTURE WAS WRONG.

THEY'VE DONE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF REPAIR IN THAT REGARD.

GOD FORBID IT SHOULD HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT THE SAME THING IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THAT HAPPENED -- >> THE COMMUNICATION WAS KEY.

BUT ALSO AS YOU POINT OUT IN THE BOOK, THERE WERE SIGNS THAT SKYSCRAPERS FACED WITH SEVERE FIRES COULD BE VULNERABLE.

BUT PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WOULDN'T BE EVEN AS LATE AS 9/11.

>> WELL, IN '93 CHIEF FEEHAN, FIRST DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 1993, WENT TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING THAT BLEW A SEVEN-STORY DEEP HOLE UNDER THE BUILDING AND EVEN HE WAS CONVINCED THESE BUILDINGS WOULD NEVER COME DOWN.

THE TERRORISTS WANTED TO KNOCK DOWN THE BUILDING.

THEY WANTED TO EXPLODE AT THE BOTTOM, THOUGHT THE FIRST BUILDING WOULD HIT THE SECOND BUILDING AND GO.

THAT WAS THEIR AIM, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO FEEHAN WAS PRETTY CONFIDENT THE BUILDING WOULDN'T COME DOWN.

HOWEVER, HE RESPONDED TO A FIRE, 1 NEW YORK PLAZA FIRE, SKYSCRAPER IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT, AND THE FIRE HAD WARPED THE STRUTS.

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> YEAH, THE STRUCTURE OF IT.

AND THAT BUILDING WOULD HAVE COME DOWN HAD THE FIRE, YOU KNOW, BEEN AS HOT AS THE FIRE IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

>> IN YOUR BOOK, YOU BRIEFLY ALSO TALK ABOUT TWO GENERATIONS OF FEEHAN.

THERE'S HIS SON JOHN, SON-IN-LAW BRIAN.

DEVIN, I THINK?

>> DEVIN, YEAH.

>> PLUS HIS GRANDSON, YOUNG -- WHAT'S HIS NAME?

>> CONNER.

>> CONNER.

AND THEY REFLECT THE SAME KIND OF QUALITIES, EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES THAT CHIEF FEEHAN DID.

BUT YOU ALSO WRITE IN THE BOOK THAT THE FDNY HAD ITS OWN PROBLEM, HAD QUALITIES NOT SO EXEMPLARY, SAEKSISM, RACISM, NEPOTISM.

HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS BEEN OVERCOME?

>> YEAH, I THINK SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

NOBODY'S GOING TO ACCUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF BEING AHEAD OF THE CURVE WHEN IT COMES TO REPRESENTING THE CITY THEY REPRESENT.

BUT IN CONNERS CLASS, THERE WAS THE MOST WOMEN PASSED THE ACADEMY AND WENT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS ALSO A TEST THAT OVER 50% OF THE APPLICANTS WERE A MINORITY, AND THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT SERVICE FOR THE CITY THAT WE'RE GETTING A FIRE DEPARTMENT LIKE THAT.

SO YEAH, IT'S CHANGING.

SLOWLY, BUT IT'S CHANGING.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, FINALLY BRIAN, WITH THE FDNY MODERNIZING AND MAKING THE CHANGES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, DO YOU THINK THAT A DYNASTY LIKE THE FEEHANS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THEM IN THE FUTURE?

OR DO YOU THINK THOSE DYNASTIES ARE ACTUALLY A THING OF THE PAST?

>> I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE -- LIKE IRISH FAMILIES OR ITALIAN FAMILIES LIKE YOU SEE.

I THINK THERE'S A CHANCE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT JUST RECENTLY I WAS READING ABOUT A THREE-GENERATION BLACK FAMILY OF NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS -- THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME ABOUT DOING THE RESEARCH ON THE BOOK IS HOW MUCH FUN FIREFIGHTERS HAVE.

YES, THEY HAVE DANGEROUS JOBS, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

BUT ALL OF THEM LOVE TO GO TO WORK.

AND WHEN THE KIDS SEE THEIR PARENTS GOING TO WORK, LOVING TO GO, THAT MAKES THE KIDS WANT TO DO WHAT THE PARENTS DID, AND THAT'S WHY THESE GENERATIONS OCCUR IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

>> OKAY, BRIAN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND FOR YOUR BOOK, IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK "FIVE FLOORS UP."

I HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE GO OUT AND BUY IT.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

>> THANKS A LOT.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.