Houston ? The next time a monster hurricane threatens, Texas will be ready. And the governor should be in charge of ordering evacuations, a task force says.

About 60 people died during September’s evacuation as Hurricane Rita churned in the Gulf of Mexico, including 23 residents of a Houston-area assisted-living facility whose bus exploded near Dallas.

Some people died from heat exhaustion and heart attacks after dozens of hours in their cars without water or air conditioning, while others were killed in traffic accidents.

An estimated 3 million people fled Rita when only 1.3 million actually needed to leave, state officials have said.

Currently the system allows local officials to order evacuations. Centralized control would be better, the task force found.

Authorities along Texas’ 367-mile coast complained that their residents couldn’t make it inland because larger cities such as Houston called for evacuations first.

The group also called for a statewide database of people with special needs; the requirement that all nursing homes and health care facilities have an evacuation plan; and a requirement for school districts to make buses and buildings available to evacuees.

Even a well-developed and orderly plan can’t circumvent gridlock if people don’t listen, stressed Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

“There is a reason they call it chaotic when there is a hurricane or any other major disaster like that,” Perry said. “And there are always going to be those who don’t necessarily follow our instructions.”

Public awareness campaigns also should be launched informing Texans of the importance of keeping vehicles properly fueled during hurricane season and plans put in place to care for pets during emergencies, the group said.