"DHS and FEMA should not have to spend valuable time watching television for information when there is work to be done - especially when the top officials are in contact via video conference. Those "officials" should be the official source of information - not MSM."
You're wrong. Yeah, the officials should give FEMA the info, but like the Russians say, "Between 'Should Be' and 'Is' many pairs of shoes are worn out."
As an emergency coordinator, a reporter with a sattelite truck (or even a camera phone) is one of your best assets. Exploit that asset to it's fullest- don't ignore it. And no, the directors of FEMA and DHS don't need to watch TV- they have staff for that!
"You're wrong."
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Well, at least, my opinion differs somewhat from yours. :)
The Russian adage ("Between 'Should Be' and 'Is' many pairs of shoes are worn out.") has a lot of truth to it. Another consideration is "what the meaning of "is" is".
Staff have jobs to do as well...and while I also think all information that is accessible from the scene should be utilitized, I don't know that time would be well spent watching news coverage 24/7. Accuracy of information is an important consideration when making decisions about how to best co-ordinate and implement actions on that large of a scale. Plans for big events (even imperfect ones) are in place for a reason. Total chaos is likely to ensue without them, as was demonstrated by the mayor of NO and the governor of LA. Spontaneous responses on a smaller,as well as a larger scale require some sort of planning as demonstrated by the brave young man who "commandeered" a school bus, gathered up 70 or so people and drove them out of NO to Houston. The larger the scale the greater the complexity of the considerations.
This administration has done, and is doing, a good job in the face of the obstacles they are having to overcome to get it on track. I'm hoping the sickening way this LA disaster has been politicized is not a harbinger of things to come, but the past is prologue, as they say, and Dems do run LA - Dems who are being "advised" by Clinton folks. I'm just cynical enough to think that not all of what has occurred in LA can be blamed on incompetence. There is the CYA factor, but I'm expecting a lot of pretenses and appearances of co-operation while doing everything within their ability to obstruct and continue to blame the president as the long road to recovery and rebuilding begins. But, just like everybody else, I could be wrong. :)
I really hope I am wrong about the politicization and obstruction, but an adage I've come to associate with the Left is that "the end justifies the means", when it comes to regaining control of power, and no matter the damage or destruction in its wake.