Post by Logan on Feb 1, 2016 18:18:07 GMT -6
State response to Baltimore unrest hampered by inexperience and confusion, report finds
The state's handling of the civil unrest in Baltimore last spring was hampered by the inexperience of some emergency management staff and resulted in slow payment to vendors and the reliance on inaccurate information, according to a new state report.
In some instances, the confusion jeopardized relationships with vendors or left them waiting months for payment for services provided, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency report found. And at times during the unrest, officials helping to lead the state's response from inside the State Emergency Operations Center were receiving so little information from official channels that they were relying instead on misleading television coverage from national media that skewed the situation on the ground.
Like previous reviews of city and police responses to the unrest, MEMA's "after-action report" found top-level communication failures, departures from national emergency response guidelines and resulting confusion surrounding the deployment of resources. The rapidly-evolving situation included widespread protests and a night of rioting, looting and arson in late April.
The events "presented unique public safety challenges" and "many opportunities for improvement," according to the report, which was released Monday to The Baltimore Sun.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/freddie-gray/bs-md-mema-unrest-report-20160201-story.html
The state's handling of the civil unrest in Baltimore last spring was hampered by the inexperience of some emergency management staff and resulted in slow payment to vendors and the reliance on inaccurate information, according to a new state report.
In some instances, the confusion jeopardized relationships with vendors or left them waiting months for payment for services provided, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency report found. And at times during the unrest, officials helping to lead the state's response from inside the State Emergency Operations Center were receiving so little information from official channels that they were relying instead on misleading television coverage from national media that skewed the situation on the ground.
Like previous reviews of city and police responses to the unrest, MEMA's "after-action report" found top-level communication failures, departures from national emergency response guidelines and resulting confusion surrounding the deployment of resources. The rapidly-evolving situation included widespread protests and a night of rioting, looting and arson in late April.
The events "presented unique public safety challenges" and "many opportunities for improvement," according to the report, which was released Monday to The Baltimore Sun.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/freddie-gray/bs-md-mema-unrest-report-20160201-story.html