Leaders at Camp Mystic were unprepared for the catastrophic flooding that struck the Texas Hill Country on July 4, killing 25 campers and two counselors, according to a report presented to a special legislative committee.
The report, prepared by two investigators hired by the committee, found that the camp did not have written emergency plans, failed to adequately prepare for flooding and did not evacuate campers despite warnings about the potential danger.
One of the investigators, Judge Michael Massengale, told lawmakers during an April committee hearing that the camp lacked the planning and procedures needed to respond to a rapidly developing flood emergency.
According to the report, at least 39 adults in addition to camp counselors were at or near the camp when floodwaters struck but did not know how to respond.
Instead, the report said, the camp's owner — who later died in the flooding — along with his son and a security guard attempted to move campers to safety as conditions deteriorated.
The findings are part of an ongoing legislative review of the disaster and the camp's response. Lawmakers are examining whether additional safety requirements or emergency preparedness standards are needed for youth camps operating in flood-prone areas.
The July 4 flooding was among the deadliest natural disasters to strike the region in recent years. Authorities have continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the actions taken before and during the storm.
