AUSTIN (KXAN) — The words “American Camp Association Accredited” is what some parent tells KXAN investigators they look for before deciding on a summer camp.
“I have personally considered ACA accreditation a must for considering a camp for my own kids to attend,” one parent wrote to KXAN adding that he likes the numerous checks on safety measures.
The American Camp Association, or ACA is a nationwide voluntary accreditation program for day and overnight camps across the country. The association said 76 camps operating across Texas are accredited, including eight in Kerr County but not Camp Mystic. The all-girls Christian summer camp lost more than two dozen campers and counselors after the deadly Independence day flooding on the Guadalupe River.
“Our mission is to support those that operate camps, to advance practices around health, safety, risk management and program quality and so, you know, our hallmark program around that is our accreditation program, which is the only set of national standards around health and safety for camps,” explained Henry DeHart, interim president and CEO of ACA out of Indiana.
‘What is your communication plan’
DeHart added that the association encourages camps to work with local emergency responders and allow them to review safety measures. He said to become accredited a team is sent to work with each camp and review safety practices in detail.
“We have standards specifically around, do you have an emergency plan, and have you thought through all of your location specific potential risks around that emergency plan. Have you trained your staff around it, and do you rehearse it before campers get there? And so, what is your communication plan in a crisis? Oftentimes cell services are down, so do you have a backup plan,” explained DeHart.
Camp Mystic, which is licensed by the state, is a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, or C.A.M.P. The state association said online that its goal is to “raise health and safety standards for all camps.” KXAN investigators reached out to the leaders of C.A.M.P., but they have not yet been able to provide details about safety measures.
State inspection reports for Camp Mystic obtained by KXAN investigators show the camp had just finished its annual inspection two days before the deadly flash flood. The Department of State Health Services found the camp had the required emergency plans, including written plans in case of a disaster. The state agency said youth camps are required to have those plans posted clearly in every building and reviews the plans on site during a yearly inspection.
ACA said this is a good time for camps to review emergency procedures and see if there are any things which need to be tweaked. DeHart added if parents are feeling anxious, they should ask about what happens if the camp has to be evacuated and how will the camp stay in touch with local emergency service teams especially if cell service is down.
Easing fear among parents
“Parents have reasonable questions right now,” DeHart said. “All across the country camps are proactively trying to reach out and connect with parents, help them understand the planning that they have done, the procedures they have in place.”
He urges parents to reach out to their camps and ask if they have an emergency plan in place and what the camp’s communication will include during a disaster with not only first responders but also families.
“I worked at camps in North Carolina, so we had to worry about hurricanes. We actually had to evacuate for a hurricane once, but we had all of those things in place. We had busses, we had location, we had supervision, we had a way to feed the campers. So, parents can ask questions like that, and camps will be eager to share those details with the parents,” he said.
DeHart said a team has already met with Texas Sen. John Cornyn about ways to support Texas camps during this time.
He added that it’s been encouraging how other camps have stepped up and are willing to help. He’s heard stories of camps offering to take in campers from impacted areas saying, “We have some open spaces. Let us work with your parents to get your campers to our camp… so your camper still get a camp experience.”