There's some provocative info in that story, but the lede is really weak. Bottom line - it took TVA two days after the ash spill to coordinate with the local EMA because they use their own system for emergency response. And only then were they able to coordinate because they hired a CA firm to coordinate for them (at a cost their spokesperson does not know.) Even the headline is murky.

Why did EMA Director Howie Rose not speak on this issue during his testimony before the Senate Hearings?

Good questions all. Having to hire a contractor before getting into compliance was weird, as was TVA not knowing the cost. It's public record if Scott Barker wants to insist on it.

Bush and Co. made a big deal about working out the inter-agency emergency communication problems that hampered the 9/11 response. Here we are almost eight years later and from what I understand about all they have come up with is a standardized set of "10-codes."