Camp Mystic reopening plan deemed deficient, given 45 days to correct

Camp Mystic’s owners are trying to reopen the camp the year after a devastating flood killed more than two-dozen people, but Texas authorities find the safety plan is deficient.Read more trending news The Texas Health and Human Services Department gave the Christian summer camp for girls 45 days to correct 22 issues the agency found with the plan, Reuters reported. The camp’s spokesperson told The New York Times it received the notice on April 23.The plan was submitted as part of the camp’s efforts to get a license as the owners try to reopen for the 2026 season.Camp owners planned to open a portion of the property this year, but not the area where the 27 campers and staff died during the July 4, 2025, flooding, the Times reported. Richard Eastland, one of the camp’s owners, was among the dead, The Associated Press reported.Some of the problems involve the camp’s evacuation and flood-warning measures.Parts of the plan were labeled insufficient, missing or incomplete. The camp did not give adequate evacuation route maps or say what steps staff members would be responsible for in the event of an evacuation, according to Reuters. “The plan should include clearly defined procedures for assisting individuals with access and functional needs, such as assigning specific staff to provide assistance, establishing a buddy system, ensuring accessible evacuation routes, accommodating assistive devices, addressing transportation needs, and ensuring ​emergency warnings are accessible,” the agency told the camp, according to Reuters. The camp said it was working with the agency “to address the areas outlined,” the Times reported.“Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our campers, and we hope to continue the nearly century-long mission and ministry of Camp Mystic,” the statement read.Camp Mystic was not the only camp to have deficient plans. Agency spokesperson Lara Anton said most of the 174 youth camps in Texas had similar issues after tougher emergency requirements were established following the 2025 deadly flooding at Camp Mystic.The camp still strives to open on May 30 for the first session of summer camp. More than 800 girls have signed up for camp, according to the camp’s leaders, the Times reported.Latest trending news:Man burst into flames at California shopping centerNedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of The Ronettes, diesCorrespondents’ dinner shooting: What we know about gunman, Cole Tomas AllenRemains of University of South Florida graduate student found; 2nd student still missingPolice officer wrangles alligator with bare hands©2026 Cox Media Group