06/06/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Release #13: The Storm After the Storm; Should you Send Your Children to Summer Camp?
A Statement by the President & CEO of Texas Lions Camp, Inc.
Kerrville, TX - [June 6, 2026]. Texas camps are entering this season determined to once again create an atmosphere by which children can explore and discover their next-level. Across the state, camps have spent the offseason evaluating emergency procedures, communications systems, weather monitoring, disaster planning, and staff training. The State of Texas has dared the camp industry to operate — challenge accepted.
RESPONSE, NOT REPLY
Following the 2025 flood tragedy and the passage of the Camp Health and Safety Act of 2025, camps have implemented additional layers of preparedness beyond what previously existed. At Texas Lions Camp, for example, we’ve invested heavily in redundant communications, severe weather monitoring, indoor/outdoor public address capability, emergency power resiliency, flood awareness systems, and expanded emergency response coordination through an artfully drafted Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
To be Specific, TLC’s approach includes:
* Training and drills
* River/flood monitoring & onsite high water alarms
* Addition of redundant communications/internet utilities
* Increased Number of Staff carrying FM Band Radios
* Installation of indoor/outdoor, two-way PA systems
* NOAA weather radios strategically placed throughout the campus
* Installation of generator backups on key systems
* Geo-fenced weather alerts served by text/email to decision makers
* Website Weather Widget, Geo-fenced to TLC for guest information
* Installation of a new fire lane and eight new fire hydrants with FDC’s on station
* Installation of fire suppression and constant monitoring, auto-dialing 911
* Expanded drills/training for both campers and staff
* Continued coordination with local emergency management & LEOs
LAYERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
One of the more noticeable changes (other than the demolition of seven (7) buildings, addition of five (5) new Bunkhouses, and construction of a 22’-wide fire lane), is the move toward layered systems. Safety comes from overlapping systems working together — monitoring, communication, trained staff, evacuation procedures, and coordination with emergency responders.
PARENTAL CONCERNS & INTENSE SCRUTINY
I understand why the general public is asking harder questions this year. The “why question” is natural to ask in the wake of a tragedy, especially one of the size and scope of July 4, 2025.
Parents deserve transparency, and camps have a responsibility to earn the trust that transparency produces every single day. Texas Summer Camps have always taken the responsibility for every life in their care seriously - it’s job one. Have a concern? Voice it.
Have you visited the campus? Have you met the camp’s administration? Have you talked to other camper families about their experience? Have you to the best of your ability done all that you can do to partner with your camp for the benefit of your child?
I have said it my entire career and I’ll say it again for those in the back, “God gave mother’s in particular a special intuition - listen to it! If you’re not comfortable, then I’m not comfortable”, and we have our answer to the question.
ON LICENSURE & REGULATION
The state implemented significant new requirements in a very compressed timeline. That fact alone has introduced new risks. Operators and regulators alike have been working aggressively to meet those mandates before the season opened and are continuing as operations are underway. For the most part, the goal is the same for everyone involved: intentionally safe operations.
The new law now requires an approved Emergency Action Plan before operations can begin, which is a major shift from prior years. That has created a more intensive review process statewide.
NO GUARANTEES
No responsible camp operator can promise that emergencies will never happen. What we can offer is rigorous preparation, trained response, constant monitoring, and a relentless commitment to protecting children. We can proffer a goal to have constant, open communication about the healthcare and well-being of your child, but life is full of risks and assurance of any particular outcome is not guaranteed.
“I genuinely believe camps have entered this summer stronger with a heightened awareness, but that’s nothing new. The unspoken truth you won’t be told by anyone yet it remains true, you don’t get bigger in the gym, you get bigger at rest after progressive overload, and there has been no rest. But, kids still need camp. They need connection, confidence, independence, and community. Our responsibility is to provide that experience while continuously improving how we prepare for emergencies. We are continuing to do our part in the midst of the storm.”
So the question remains: Should you send your children to a Texas Summer Camp? And the answer is simply as it always has been — without apology — not if you are not also willing to accept the many risks involved.
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