You have hit the nail on the head. Now maybe someone will answer this question instead of playing politics. If anyone will bother to look this was my original question and it is still unanswered. We'll worry about the whys of the matter latter.
Walton County has / should have clear guidelines and plans to deal with most emergencies. It is also their job to dessiminate the information as needed in a timely manner, and many of the most important decisions are not made without direct communication with the BCC.
Contrary to some, there are capable leaders within the organization, who should be recognized, who can formulate a decision and carry out the plans. When you have someone who plays the politics to be self serving instead of one who focuses on the job that will benefit the citizens you end up in a quagmire.
The bigger question is do we have the personnel, plans and precedures in place in the event of other events such as hazardous incidents, major aircraft incidents, or other natural or man made disasters?
With that said, each member of the community has a responsibility and a duty to themselves to be prepared for disasters and not depend on immediate assistance from the county or any other government agency after the event. Hope this gives you some light.