Officials at the Comfort Volunteer Fire Department triggered a flood warning siren last week when the Guadalupe River began to swell.

Officials in a Texas town where nobody died amid the state's devastating flooding last week are crediting an updated siren system with saving lives.

Over just two hours, the Guadalupe River at Comfort, Texas, rose from hip-height to three stories tall, sending water weighing as much as the Empire State building downstream roughly every minute it remained at its crest. The force of floodwater is often more powerful and surprising than people imagine.

The United Cajun Navy has been actively involved in the search and rescue efforts in Texas following devastating floods. The Louisiana-based group is also providing emotional support