DALLAS — Two decades after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the storm’s impact continues to shape how relief organizations and communications teams respond to disasters.

Katrina killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced more than a million.

For David Wells, the storm was a turning point. In 2005, he volunteered with Texans on Mission. Today, he serves as the group’s Director of Disaster Relief.

“It was so much bigger than anything else we dealt with,” Wells said. “It changed the whole scene.”

Back then, Texans on Mission had only a few flood recovery teams and focused primarily on feeding communities. Hurricane Katrina, Wells said, pushed the organization to expand its operations.

“Through Katrina, we were able to even enhance our chainsaw and our flood recovery responses,"

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