**You can put a repeater in an aircraft and make it fly tight left hand circles at 5000 feet to keep comms if it is necessary . You can also take over GMRS frequencies and use Line of sight commo if you have to. There are options out there, it's just that no one is inspiring them or looking to solve the problems. Thats a leadership issue.**
BINGO!!!
All it would have taken on DAY ONE to get this under control was to move the radios you have and communications to the top floor of a tall building, even if you had to hike it up.
I've done SAR+CD excersises since I was 14, and been involved in few tornado, storm events myself. This shows a COMPLETE lack of local leadership, and regional co-operation!
No No No you apparently have not heard the official MSM line, See the Local officials are mostly Liberal Democrats therefore this is all BUSH'S FAULT.