Boerne Fire Department Lieutenant Joe Rodriguez and firefighter Andy Creech were part of a boat rescue team called to Comfort around 7:45 a.m. on July 4, 2025. The crew said heavy overnight rain turned the Guadalupe River into a dangerous, fast-moving torrent.
Flood Rescue Efforts
The first rescue was on Carolyn Drive in Center Point, with a male stuck in a bush and a family stuck in a house, a family of six, so seven total. The crew worked with care and precision as debris surged past them and water moved faster than what they could simulate in training.
Rodriguez said the crew ultimately rescued eight people that day — a family of seven and one additional person — working from around 9 a.m. until around 7 p.m. The drives between rescue sites were unusually quiet, with a focus-driven atmosphere.
Rescue Challenges
The crew described the response as organized chaos, relying on training and instinct while trying to coordinate in rapidly changing conditions. One of the most vivid memories was a rescue on River Road in Center Point involving a girl stranded in a tree above the river.
Texas Game Wardens coordinated with their boat crew to reach the girl around 12 feet off the ground in the fastest water they had ever seen. In one of the most daring rescue moments, Creech transferred from one boat to another in the moving water to help stabilize the effort.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
