I hope there is some investigation into the procedures and emergency protocols of the group(s) running camps in the area.
The article doesn’t discuss the safety measures in place should the region’s most predictable natural disaster occur on river banks nicknamed “Flash Flood Alley”. It’s an obvious question to ask with hindsight. The article gave the impression that there really wasn’t much - word of mouth from people further up river in a place with patchy cellular coverage - I’d be surprised if these camps could even get insurance without something more concrete in place. It’s Texas and this was a Christian camp - it occurs to me to ask, did the religious nature of the camp allow some exemptions or avoidance of administrative scrutiny such as safety standards which otherwise may have been applicable?
This is an unbelievable tragedy and I’m horrified at the indiscriminate culling of institutional knowledge that’s taken place. I’m left with the nagging wonder - had the warnings coordinator role at the weather service still been filled and the warnings been better broadcast - how different would the outcomes have been for those 27 kids and the survivors who will never be the same. I hope some learnings will come in this area too, either to implement or reinforce emergency management for these camps and similar organisations.
All the more reason why a) They needed that coordinator role filled by someone capable with experience. And b) why the camps should have had their own emergency protocols for the eventuality that a general warning should turn into something emergent.
If there wasn’t something in place it sounds to me like gross incompetence and negligence. These people had a duty of care to children - not having a direct means of communication for an emergency seems inexcusable if they didn’t. I mean what were they going to do for the venomous snake bite or a severe injury, or even a missing person. Heck it’s in Texas right by the border, I’m surprised they didn’t have a plan for a Brown person sighting with an assumed motive of abduction. God, maybe they did - but 27 young girls all armed with semi automatic weapons doesn’t save them from a flood…
I hope there is some investigation into the procedures and emergency protocols of the group(s) running camps in the area.
The article doesn’t discuss the safety measures in place should the region’s most predictable natural disaster occur on river banks nicknamed “Flash Flood Alley”. It’s an obvious question to ask with hindsight. The article gave the impression that there really wasn’t much - word of mouth from people further up river in a place with patchy cellular coverage - I’d be surprised if these camps could even get insurance without something more concrete in place. It’s Texas and this was a Christian camp - it occurs to me to ask, did the religious nature of the camp allow some exemptions or avoidance of administrative scrutiny such as safety standards which otherwise may have been applicable?
This is an unbelievable tragedy and I’m horrified at the indiscriminate culling of institutional knowledge that’s taken place. I’m left with the nagging wonder - had the warnings coordinator role at the weather service still been filled and the warnings been better broadcast - how different would the outcomes have been for those 27 kids and the survivors who will never be the same. I hope some learnings will come in this area too, either to implement or reinforce emergency management for these camps and similar organisations.
Honestly, people largely ignore flash flood warnings around here. There are just too many false positives.
All the more reason why a) They needed that coordinator role filled by someone capable with experience. And b) why the camps should have had their own emergency protocols for the eventuality that a general warning should turn into something emergent.
If there wasn’t something in place it sounds to me like gross incompetence and negligence. These people had a duty of care to children - not having a direct means of communication for an emergency seems inexcusable if they didn’t. I mean what were they going to do for the venomous snake bite or a severe injury, or even a missing person. Heck it’s in Texas right by the border, I’m surprised they didn’t have a plan for a Brown person sighting with an assumed motive of abduction. God, maybe they did - but 27 young girls all armed with semi automatic weapons doesn’t save them from a flood…
Okay this is getting dark, even for me.