LYONS, Colo. (KDVR) — Seeing all the death and devastation in Texas has brought back some heartbreaking memories for people who live in Lyons.

The town saw massive flash flooding in 2013 that washed away homes and businesses.

People in Lyons say they had no idea the weather would get so bad, and that they had no warning either, back then.

Much has changed in Lyons to try and keep it safer when waters come rushing down the mountain.

The community has made an incredible comeback after that devastating flash flooding in the community 12 years ago.

The swollen St. Vrain creeks wiped out roads, bridges and homes in this town of 2,100.

Resident Paula Stone Williams, who is now mayor pro tem, remembers the downpour and sirens blaring at the time.

“I knew right away there’s gotta be a flood. I jumped up. I went outside. I looked down the street and saw that I could not get out of my neighborhood,” Stone Williams said.

Stone Williams says the deadly floods in Texas have brought back bad memories.

“Gut-wrenching” is how the community leader described them.

Town Administrator Victoria Simonsen feels the same way.

“Oh, my, it just takes you back to the time it happened here in Lyons,” Simonsen said. 

Simonsen said one person in Lyons died during the floods.

The entire town had to be evacuated.

Back then, warnings came late, she said, but now there are new emergency alert systems that go directly to people fast.

“The notification system is now such that we have to get that information out to residents and visitors. (So) If you are in this area, you need to know the risks and have a plan on how to handle that situation if that happens,” Simonsen said.

Simonsen says some homes have been elevated, flood-prone properties have been purchased and fast-moving water running down the mountain is diverted away from roads.

Developing weather is also analyzed more aggressively.

“So, we could get ahead of the storm. The whole goal was we needed to be ahead of the flood and not wait for the flash flood warning to go out.” Boulder County Office of Disaster Management Director Mike Chard said.

Chard also said burn scars, of all things, have helped emergency workers understand how fast water can move and where it might head.

FOX31 was also told that lightning strikes are watched carefully since they could be a sign that a storm is building and potentially threaten the area.