Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is again urging state health officials to deny Camp Mystic a license, citing new testimony that the Guadalupe River camp had no evacuation plan when rapidly rising floodwaters killed 27 people July 4.
Patrick, in a video message, pushed state health officials not to issue Camp Mystic a license this summer. He said the camp has not asked for a license renewal, but has until the end of this month to do so, and he believes the camp plans to renew because, he said, almost a thousand girls have been registered at the Camp Mystic Cypress Lake location.
The Cypress Lake location is uphill from where the deadly flooding occurred.
Patrick said in the video that Edward Eastland and the entire Eastland family are “not bad people,” and noted that their dad died trying to save campers. But Patrick said that does not excuse the camp from not being prepared.
“So number one he testified that there was no evacuation plan he said that we did have one but he couldn’t remember what it said or where it was or he didn’t know where with was posted, he said his dad pretty much had it in his head, and they were making it up as they were going through that night ..no planin flood alley ,…” Patrick said.
Patrick also said Edward Eastland testified there was really no training, and that he told counselors to stay away from high water.
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Last month, Patrick initially called on the camp not to be issued a license this summer. At that time, Camp Mystic referred questions to a letter saying Camp Mystic Cypress Lake was in compliance with all aspects of the state’s new camp safety laws and is a separate property. The letter added that the Cypress Lake location sustained no significant damage from the historic flooding.