IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

TJ Kennedy Leaves FirstNet

He got FirstNet over the goal line.

If FirstNet was football, you could say that that TJ Kennedy got the ball over the goal line and won the game. With all 50 states now on board, and opting into FirstNet, he is moving on to a private-sector position. FirstNet had a "false start" under previous leadership, so it is a credit to Kennedy's leadership that he moved the organization through the state marketing and vendor selection process.

Since the contract is with AT&T, and Verizon chose not to bid, I wonder if they have any regrets at this point? Now they are fighting a rear guard action with the goal to hang onto the first responder customers that they have across the nation.

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.