Camp Mystic Under Scrutiny: Are Emergency Plans Failing Texas Campers?

A recent investigation has cast a critical eye on Camp Mystic, a long-standing institution in Texas, revealing potential gaps in its emergency preparedness and raising serious questions about the safety of thousands of children attending summer camps across the state. The inquiry, prompted by a disconcerting communication to parents during a grass fire, highlights a broader issue of regulatory oversight and transparency within the camp industry.

The catalyst for the investigation was a seemingly reassuring, yet ultimately unsettling, email sent to parents of Camp Mystic attendees in July 2018.

A grass fire ignited near the camp, and while the email assured parents that campers were "never in danger," it also vaguely stated that girls were moved to "safe locations." This contradictory messaging left many parents, including John Bell, deeply concerned and frustrated. Bell's subsequent Facebook post, questioning the camp's handling of the situation and the lack of clear information, quickly gained traction, exposing a shared anxiety among the parent community.

Adding to the concern, state records reveal that Camp Mystic failed to file an emergency plan with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for 2017, despite a new state law (HB 2930, passed in 2017) mandating such submissions.

This law, a direct response to a previous camp tragedy, requires all youth camps to file emergency plans not only with the DSHS but also with local emergency management offices, and to provide parents with contact information for both entities. Camp Mystic's omission of its plan with state authorities for that year, and the lack of evidence that it was submitted to local emergency managers, raises serious red flags.

When confronted, Camp Mystic stated it does have an emergency plan and is working to ensure full compliance with the new regulations.

However, the camp declined to provide a copy of its plan to WFAA, further fueling suspicions about its readiness. This stands in stark contrast to other reputable Texas camps, such as Waldemar and Honey Creek, which readily provided their detailed emergency plans and demonstrated a clear commitment to transparency and preparedness.

The investigation by WFAA also shone a light on a critical flaw in the state's oversight.

While DSHS registers youth camps, its role regarding emergency plans is primarily ministerial—they collect the plans but do not verify their adequacy or ensure their implementation. This leaves a significant burden on parents to meticulously question camp administrations about their safety protocols, evacuation procedures, and communication strategies in crisis situations.

The incident at Camp Mystic and the subsequent investigation underscore an urgent need for greater accountability and transparency from youth camps.

For parents entrusting their children to these institutions, knowing that robust, verifiable emergency plans are not only in place but also readily accessible is paramount. The vague email about the grass fire, rather than assuaging fears, only served to amplify them, illustrating the critical importance of clear, timely, and detailed communication during emergencies.

This ongoing scrutiny serves as a vital reminder for both camps and parents: when it comes to child safety, ambiguity is simply not an option.