El Pasoans deployed to assist in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts said they found a welcoming spirit amid the destruction caused by floods in the Houston region.

An El Paso Fire Department rescue boat evacuated people in flooded neighborhoods while El Paso law enforcement officers backed up Houston police.

“What stands out is the devastation of all the homes," said Lt. Ryan Dubord of the EPFD water rescue team. "Hurricane Harvey did not discriminate. It hit everybody. A lot of people lost everything. No home, no motor vehicle, no cellphone."

The fire department was among several El Paso agencies that sent personnel to help southeast Texas, including 36 El Paso police officers who returned home last Sunday after a 14-day deployment to Houston.

The city of El Paso will seek seek reimbursement from the state for deployment-related expenses, city officials said.

El Paso Times