This column usually tries to provide helpful hints or stern warnings so that readers can protect themselves from some of the unfortunate consequences associated with modern technology.

But two recent events happened in such close succession that the subject of this column is a bit different.

A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie ”Dunkirk” which is about the 1940 evacuation of more than 330,000 troops from the coast of France at the start of World War II. What made the event so extraordinary was that the rescue was carried out by civilians who heard that help was needed and so pulled together a makeshift armada of 861 fishing boats, pleasure yachts and cargo ships to save the lives of the stranded troops.

This past week, we all watched in dismay as Hurricane Harvey pummeled the Houston area, dropping more than four feet of rain and creating epic flooding. The military was there, helping to move area residents to safety but, according to information provided to CNN by U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Mike Hart, the U.S. Coast Guard was receiving “upwards of 1,000 calls per hour."

They were able to rescue 3,000 people per day but given the enormity of the disaster, more help was needed. Early on, experts believed that at least 30,000 people would need to be moved to shelters with a projected 450,000 victims needing some sort of additional assistance.

And just as it happened at Dunkirk 77 years ago, civilians responded to help save lives that were in danger.  A modern volunteer armada started to pluck adults, children and yes, even animals, from flooded Houston streets and homes. Those who had small watercraft spontaneously started the street-by-street rescue effort.

Anyone who owned a powerboat, kayak, raft, jet ski, small fishing boat or other watercraft started rescuing their neighbors. A group of Louisiana boaters known as the “Cajun Navy” responded by bringing 763 boats and more than 1,500 volunteers to assist.

But with such widespread flooding, how did rescuers know where help was needed?  Using the tools of modern technology, victims were able to tell their rescuers where to find them. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, drones, cell phones, GPS coordinates all became invaluable in the effort.  

When highways became rivers, volunteer boats navigated using the same cell phone app we normally use for driving. A walkie-talkie-type app called “Zello” was used by volunteer organizations to directly speak with those needing to be rescued from attics and roofs.

Unfortunately, lives were lost as a result of Hurricane Harvey. But the number of those lost to the storm could have been so much worse without the humanitarian efforts of rescuers armed with today’s technology. It’s a good reminder that technology – like any other tool – used for the right reasons can create enormous benefits for all of us. It can even save lives.