Camp Mystic’s bid to reopen in late May has run into renewed scrutiny from Texas regulators, who say the camp’s emergency operations plan includes nearly two dozen deficiencies. In a licensing review tied to changes adopted by state lawmakers after a 2025 flood, the Department of State Health Services identified gaps that it said affect key parts of how the camp would warn people, move them to safety, and prepare children for emergencies.
The deficiencies were outlined in an 11-page letter to Camp Mystic, the AP reported. The letter pointed to problems with flood warning evacuation plans and with how the camp would use an emergency warning and public address system, according to the report. It also cited issues involving how Camp Mystic would monitor safety alerts and train campers on safety.
The timing of the regulator’s letter came shortly after a three-day court hearing connected to lawsuits filed by families of girls who were killed in the 2025 flood. During that hearing, camp operators and staff acknowledged that they missed official flood warnings, lacked a detailed evacuation plan, and waited too long to try to get children out, according to the AP account.
Camp Mystic’s owners have applied for a license to reopen the all-girls Christian camp, but the approach has angered families and prompted calls from prominent state officials to deny or delay the license while investigations continue. One camp owner, Richard Eastland, died, the AP reported.
Texas lawmakers have scheduled two days of hearings next week about what happened during the flood that ripped through the Guadalupe River and killed more than 130 people. The AP said several lawmakers and the Texas Rangers visited the camp site this week. In a statement, Camp Mystic said its priority remains “the safety and well-being of our campers” and said it hopes to continue its nearly century-long ministry for girls.
Department of State Health Services spokesperson Lara Anton said deficiency notices are common as camps prepare for summer openings, and that the notices are part of the licensing application review process. “This is part of the licensing application review process, and most youth camps have received a notice of deficiency letter for their emergency plan due to the statutory changes and increased emergency plan requirements,” Anton told AP.
The regulator’s letter also said Camp Mystic is allowed to revise the emergency plan to address the problems cited. The camp told AP it would work with the agency to address the deficiencies, as it seeks to reopen less than a year after the fatal 2025 flood.