With 33 years as a volunteer firefighter, Chief Leonard has led communications for large and small fire agencies, including serving as the FDNY’s Deputy Director of Public Information and Deputy Press Secretary for Uniformed and Emergency Services to the Mayor of the City of New York. Since 2000, he has been a senior executive at a national public relations firm, leading the public safety and local government practices and leading media realtions for Firefighters Association of the State of New York. Chief Leonard is a nationally recognized author and lecturer on media relations and crisis communications for the emergency services.