The officials at higher places are expected to make more complex decisions that are not reflexive as on the ground personnels. It should come as no surprise that soldiers in foxholes are expected stay up all night when battles are raging, yet the generals far removed from the battle front itself are expected to be rested and refreshed because the latter are expected to make complex decisions on a much more frequent basis. i.e. flood in Souther FL, central FL, panhandle would not involve ground personnels in NOLA, yet FEMA and DHS officials at the federal level are expected to deal with all four cases. These are simply different kinds of jobs.
Do you expect your mayor to stay up all night whenever there is gun violence in the city? The emergency room doctors certainly do.