When you actually USE your city and state resources you can accomplish a lot.
And ask your citizens to help where they can - let's not forget that. That was a very important element of what happened. People who had space in their vehicles were picking up their neighbors and taking them out of danger. Other people were picking up stranded people from the side of the road and taking them with them.
And let's not forget the volunteers that went out in the Houston buses to distribute water and pick up the stranded.