Camp Safety Act Update: Where We Stand Today
The good news is that Pine Cove already met many of the benchmarks outlined in the new legislation prior to its passing. New this summer will be a Public Announcement (PA) speaker at each overnight youth camp in case there’s any need to seek shelter or respond in another way. Safety training will also be practiced weekly, including showing campers where they will shelter in place or where they will meet in the unlikely event of an evacuation. Over the last few months, we have worked diligently with state and local officials to ensure every detail of our operation is verified:
- Local Approval: Our County Emergency Management Coordinators have reviewed and approved our updated emergency response plans.
- Successful Inspections: State inspections were completed for our Central Texas camps (Columbus) last week and our East Texas camps (Tyler) as of Wednesday, May 13th. We passed both inspections.
- Verified Systems: Inspectors have thoroughly vetted our communication systems, emergency drills, evacuation routes, and intensive staff training protocols.
- Licensure Status: Our Central Texas locations in Columbus have already received their official licenses. Our East Texas camps in Tyler are fully on track, and we are in constant communication with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) as they complete their process. We have confirmed that even if they haven’t yet officially renewed our license for Tyler camps by opening day, we are still able to operate due to our pending application status.
Our Commitment to You
While the state’s administrative process is moving as quickly as possible under the new law, our internal standards remain unwavering. We are committed to total transparency throughout this process and will notify you as soon as the final East Texas licenses are in hand.
For a deeper look at our specific protocols, we invite you to visit our safety page.
