AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- State health officials have notified the director of Camp Mystic that the facility’s emergency preparedness plan does not yet comply with new safety regulations, granting the historic girls camp 45 days to address dozens of deficiencies.
In a letter issued Thursday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported that the camp’s emergency plan, submitted as part of its license renewal application, was missing or lacked sufficient information in 22 separate categories. The state agency has directed camp leadership to provide detailed mapping of all cabins in relation to flood risks and to create specific protocols for evacuating campers with mobility or visual impairments.
The regulatory warning comes as Camp Mystic prepares to reopen a portion of its property this summer, a move that has drawn intense public scrutiny following the catastrophic July 4 flood of last year. That disaster resulted in the deaths of 25 campers, two counselors, and the camp’s director, sparking a legislative push by grieving families to mandate more robust emergency planning for all youth camps in the state.
The state’s review also requires the camp to demonstrate how it will distribute its emergency procedures to parents and staff and to clearly define the responsibilities of employees during a crisis. These roles include maintaining emergency warning systems, coordinating with emergency services, and training campers on safety drills.
While the findings specifically target Camp Mystic’s readiness, the agency indicated that the struggle to meet the new legal standards is widespread. Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, noted that most youth camps across the state have received similar notices informing them that their initial emergency plans were insufficient under the updated laws.
