1. (a) A youth camp operator must develop an emergency plan that:

   1. (1) specifies areas where campers and camp staff are to gather in an emergency event that requires evacuation from any location within the premises of the camp;

   2. (2) establishes procedures for responding to an emergency event, including:

      1. (A) a lost camper;
      2. (B) a fire on the premises;

      3. (C) a severe injury, severe illness, serious accident, or death of one or more campers, visitors, camp staff, or camp volunteers that occurs:

         1. (i) on camp premises; or
         2. (ii) while under the supervision of camp staff;
      4. (D) an aquatic emergency if the camp borders a watercourse, lake, pond, or any other body of water;
      5. (E) an epidemic;
      6. (F) an unauthorized or unknown individual present on the camp's premises;
      7. (G) a transportation emergency; and
      8. (H) any other applicable natural disaster, including flood, hurricane, tornado or wildfire; or emergency event;
   3. (3) establishes procedures to identify and account for each camper affected by the emergency event;

   4. (4) establishes procedures to notify and communicate with:

      1. (A) local emergency management services, including the designated emergency management director or coordinator by the political subdivision where the camp is located;
      2. (B) camp administrative and medical services staff; and
      3. (C) the parents or legal guardians of each camper identified under paragraph (3) of this subsection; and
   5. (5) designates a camp emergency preparedness coordinator.

2. (b) A youth camp operator must develop an emergency evacuation plan for:

   1. (1) evacuating campers who are at a camp within a floodplain on issuance of a flash flood or flood warning;
   2. (2) evacuating campers on issuance of an evacuation order by the emergency management director or coordinator for the county or, if applicable, the municipality in which the camp is located, due to wildfire, hurricane, or other disaster; and

   3. (3) sheltering campers in place on issuance of:

      1. (A) a tornado warning; or
      2. (B) an order to shelter in place issued by the emergency management director or coordinator for the county or, if applicable, the municipality in which the camp is located.

3. (c) A youth camp operator must:

   1. (1) implement the emergency evacuation plan developed under subsection (b)(1) of this section on issuance by the National Weather Service (NWS) of a flash flood or flood warning for an area of the camp; and
   2. (2) implement the emergency evacuation plan developed under subsection (b)(3) of this section on issuance by the NWS of a tornado warning for an area of the camp.

4. (d) A youth camp operator must send a copy of an emergency evacuation plan developed under subsection (b) of this section to:

   1. (1) the emergency management director or coordinator for the municipality (for camps located in a municipality); and
   2. (2) the emergency management director or coordinator for the county.

5. (e) A youth camp operator must provide a copy of the camp's emergency plan not later than the 10th business day following the date the department approves the emergency plan or, if the department determines the plan is deficient under §265.23 of this subchapter (relating to Application and Denial of a New License; Non-transferable) or §265.24 of this subchapter (relating to Application and Denial of a Renewal License), the youth camp must provide a copy of the camp's revised and approved emergency plan to:

   1. (1) the designated emergency management director or coordinator for the municipality (for camps located in a municipality); and
   2. (2) the designated emergency management director or coordinator for the county.
6. (f) In developing the youth camp's emergency plan, a youth camp operator may consult with an emergency management director or coordinator described in subsection (d) of this section.

7. (g) A youth camp operator must:

   1. (1) provide the most recent version of a youth camp's emergency plan submitted under this section to the parent or legal guardian of:

      1. (A) a camper who is participating in a camp session; or
      2. (B) a camper who is registered to participate in a future camp session;
   2. (2) notify the parent or legal guardian of a camper described by paragraph (1) of this subsection if any area of the camp is located within a floodplain; and
   3. (3) ensure the parent or legal guardian signs and submits to the operator a statement acknowledging receipt of the notice required under paragraph (2) of this subsection.

8. (h) A youth camp operator must:

   1. (1) maintain an operable radio providing real-time weather alerts issued by the NWS or a similar professional weather service at the camp;

   2. (2) install and maintain at the camp an emergency warning system:

      1. (A) alerting all campers and camp occupants of an emergency; and
      2. (B) including a public address system operable without reliance on an internet connection;

   3. (3) monitor safety alerts issued:

      1. (A) by the NWS or a similar professional weather service; and
      2. (B) by local river authorities, if applicable to the camp, or through other local emergency notification systems; and
   4. (4) certify the operator's compliance with this subsection.

9. (i) The youth camp operator or a youth camp staff member must conduct a mandatory safety orientation, not more than 48 hours after each youth camp session begins. The safety orientation:

   1. (1) notifies each camper of the camp's boundaries and any hazards present on the camp premises;
   2. (2) instructs each camper on behavioral expectations in an emergency event; and
   3. (3) provides each camper developmentally appropriate instruction on the appropriate actions and procedures to follow in an emergency event, in accordance with the camp's emergency plan required under this section.

10. (j) At least once a year, a youth camp operator must:

    1. (1) provide each youth camp staff member and volunteer a copy of the camp's most recent emergency plan;
    2. (2) ensure each staff member and volunteer successfully completes training on the camp's emergency plan in compliance with any minimum standards and required hours established by department rule;
    3. (3) instruct each staff member and volunteer on the proper procedures to follow in an emergency under the plan; and
    4. (4) maintain written records documenting each staff member's and volunteer's successful completion of the training required under this subsection.

11. (k) A youth camp operator must:

    1. (1) post the proper evacuation route described in the youth camp's emergency plan in a conspicuous place in each cabin on the youth camp premises; and
    2. (2) ensure each evacuation route on the camp premises is illuminated at night.

12. (l) A youth camp operator must notify the department as described in §265.24 of this subchapter of any modification to:

    1. (1) a structure intended to facilitate youth camp activities; or
    2. (2) the location of a camp activity on the camp's premises.
13. (m) On receiving notification of a modification described by subsection (l) of this section, the department may require the youth camp operator to update the youth camp's emergency plan.

14. (n) The department must store in a digital database each emergency plan submitted to the department under this section and provide access to that database to:

    1. (1) TDEM; and
    2. (2) each member of the Youth Camp Safety Multidisciplinary Team (YCSMT) created under §265.29 of this subchapter (relating to Youth Camp Safety Multidisciplinary Team).

Source Note:The provisions of this §265.31 adopted to be effective February 2, 2026, 51 TexReg 571.