2nd time is enough -DC loses Emergency Communications and Mayor Gray needs to step up and setup a taskforce

So I'm reading the story about the Uber driver kidnapping in DC and noticed the part about how DC MPD couldn't respond because there was no emergency communications. 

Having been involved in DC Emergency Preparedness since 9/11 up until I questioned the handling of Pete Piringer by the Mayor back in 2011-- I know as much as any person in DC about the hows and why our Emergency Operation Plan "EOP" is supposed to unfold.   Part and parcel to this plan is that our equipment works and that departments respond, and I have to say that under no uncertain terms the District of Columbia cannot handle day to day operations there is no way in the world we could deal with any medium to large scale disaster. 

BTW this is not the first time that this happened back in  2010 on a Monday nite DC lost this same capability for over 3 hours.  The solution to have analog radios is still not being implemented.  We know that the Fire, Police and our Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency, HSEMA is in need of restructuring and oversight. Let's start with Emergency Management Agency  functions and they needs to stand on it's own and Homeland Security sound like something MPD should be doing. 

Since under our EOP and every other functioning Incident Command System "ICS" there is a Director of Emergency Management  and a Public Information Office PIO that the District needs to bring the individual that are serving in these roles into their correct positions and stop presenting a different agency per disaster or response.   As well as bring in the Community Emergency Response Team CERT into the EMA oversight and coordination. 

As the expression goes there's 1 responder for every 100 people need need the people to become part of the responder process and that is the role of CERT. 

Further under out EOP the Mayor is the Incident Command and right now we have another individual that is performing in that role and he needs to resign immediately and you Mayor Gray need to step into this leader role as our the District's Incident Commander.  

So, as dad, husband, and neighbor who's been volunteer and paid emergency responder in DC even served as part of Mayor Gray's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Transition team ~  I'm calling for the Mayor to take the above measures and appoint a special task force to look into the EOP of the District and it's ability to respond to All Hazards. As DC has State, County and City Emergency Responsibilities that DC is unique in alone.

I also call on the Council of the District of Columbia  to be part of this since they have oversight of these three different responsibilities and are failing at every single one of them.   I would beg the resident of the District to start questioning those that Serve us if they understand DC's EOP and their role in oversight of how it's carried out. 

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UPDATE the Washington  Post just released a story  about how the command structure for DC was not working during the Navy Yard Shoot, as well which further makes my point that we're not operating in the Nation's capital city with ICS. 

PS, I'd like to point out further that Congressional Representative in Maryland's 1st District. Rep Andy Harris, that is very concerned with DC these days, is  a member of the Committee with oversight of the Nation's Homeland Security. Which begs to ask how he cannot be aware that his constitutes and staff are in danger!  As is any resident, worker or visitors to the Nation's Capital City .  Here's a link to the  legislation he's sponsored while serving in oversight of our hampered ability to provide this basic measure of organization in the Capitol of the Free World.