01254nas a2200229   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260000900043653001900052653002400071653003000095653002200125653001500147653001700162100001700179700001700196700002200213245010000235300001000335490000700345520067200352       2006                            d  c200610aCommunications10aDisaster Management10aEmergency Response System10aHurricane Katrina10aLeadership10aOrganization1 aGeorge Handy1 aJohn Kimball1 aJeffrey Winbourne00aBuilding a Sound and Flexible Emergency Response System Hard Won Lessons in Disaster Management  a31-380 v193 a<p>Emergency management systems’ failure to mitigate the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina imposed a number of unfortunate lessons from this disaster, lessons hard won and learned. These lessons are worth repeating for the benefit of the international emergency management community. Lessons this paper seeks to convey: the significance of organization and leadership, with communications as the critical link between them, to advance disaster responsiveness. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of communications, in its multiple modes, as it applies to disaster response management relevant to both Bulgaria and the Black Sea Basin/ Balkan region.</p>