A new report into the Hawke's Bay's Civil Defence response to Cyclone Gabrielle has found there weren't enough trained emergency leaders, leading to confusion and burnout.
It also found controllers were overconfident about their readiness for a disaster and didn't plan for the worst-case scenario.
But ultimately, the report points to faults in the nationwide emergency system, calling for a complete overhaul.
Eskdale holiday park owner Dan Gale spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
