Just days before a deadly flood swept through Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, a state inspector reviewed and approved the camp’s disaster plan. That inspection happened shortly before floodwaters from the Guadalupe River killed at least 27 campers and counselors.
Camp officials claimed they trained staff using the Camp Mystic disaster plan. The state health department confirmed that camp staff received emergency instructions during these sessions. However, the department doesn’t collect or store copies of these plans.
Inspectors only check whether the plan exists and whether staff posted it across all camp buildings. A department spokesperson said the agency makes sure camps post the procedures and train employees, but does not test how well those plans work. Many now question the real value of the Camp Mystic disaster plan.
State regulations require every camp to prepare for floods, fires, epidemics, and fatalities. Camps must include evacuation routes and shelter locations in those plans. Staff should know their emergency roles, and camps must train all campers on what to do.
Despite these rules, the flooding caught everyone off guard. Heavy rains made the Guadalupe River rise rapidly and flood Camp Mystic along with other parts of the Texas Hill Country. Reports confirmed the deaths of many people, while dozens remain missing. Six of the missing come from the camp.
Local authorities reported that five campers and one counselor remain unaccounted for. Families continue to grieve young victims, including two best friends, a set of 8-year-old twins, and a relative of a major sports team executive.
Photos show stuffed animals, trunks, and bedding scattered in the flood debris. The tragic scene raises doubts about whether the Camp Mystic disaster plan truly prepared anyone.
Camp Mystic, operating for nearly a century, has seen floods before. In one earlier flood, staff rushed campers to higher ground. A former program director remembered that night. She said this disaster felt entirely different.
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