The Founding of FirstNet - A Story Like No Other (with Jeff Johnson and Chris Moore) Ep|107

FirstNet didn’t emerge from Silicon Valley or a federal mandate — it was born out of frustration, persistence, and a shared belief among public safety leaders that communications failures during major incidents were unacceptable. In this episode of The Chief Exchange, former Fire Chief Jeff Johnson and former Police Chief Chris Moore take listeners inside the real story of how FirstNet was founded, the resistance they faced, and the leadership lessons learned along the way. We explore when departments should begin merger conversations, the top three reasons mergers make sense, and why data has shifted from a “nice-to-have” to an operational necessity. Chiefs Johnson and Moore also share candid reflections on the role of politics, the importance of learning technology to remain effective leaders, and why continuous progress matters if you want to be the best in your profession. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize a hard-earned truth of leadership: good things do happen — just rarely on the timeline or path you expect.