111 dead, 161 more still missing

[Lemon Drop2]

I gasped when I read Gov. Abbott's words.  And numbers may get worse, he says. 

Dozens of the dead in the Central Texas floods are children, making this one of the worst disasters for children in decades. 

Thinking of how to respond with practical aid. If you've heard of some particularly useful aid, please share.

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I found 3 organizations to support, checked both out.
Can donate online:
https://www.austinpetsalive.org/blog/hel...err-county

Recommend mailing a check:
Center Point Volunteer Fire Department
548 W Kelly, Center Point, TX 78010

AlSo good organization feeding first responders and volunteers:
World central kitchen
https://donate.wck.org/give/703028/?_gl=...-texas-7-4

[PeterB]

Some more info on ways to help:

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/victims-...=123531546
https://abc13.com/post/texas-flooding-ho.../17000575/

[RonT (aka Ombligo)]

Texas approved Camp Mystic's Emergency Plan just two days before the flood.

[Lemon Drop2]

Thanks Peter for the link.

About preparedness at Camp Mystic:
"Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp’s preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country."

https://apnews.com/article/camp-mystic-f...76c31ed98a


This is a failure of both Texas camp regulators and the camp.  I'm still horrified by the photos showing how close those sleeping quarters for 8 year olds were to that flood prone river. 

Evacuation ahead of the flood is the only thing that would have saved all the girls and staff.

[special]

Apparently there was a boys camp nearby but they survived. Was that on a higher ground or better prepared? I didn't see details.

EDIT: more details here.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati...502670007/

Still curious if this was just better awareness or they also had the advantage of higher ground.

[Acer]

Apparently there was a boys camp nearby but they survived. Was that on a higher ground or better prepared? I didn't see details.

EDIT: more details here.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati...502670007/

Still curious if this was just better awareness or they also had the advantage of higher ground.

 Reads to me like they were simply lucky. Cabins were flooded with campers still in them even there.

The best plan would to be having someone at the camp watch the river when there is heavy rain in the watershed. When it gets to a predetermined level regardless of forecast or radar or warnings from officials, everyone bugs out. False alarm or not, worst outcome is everyone is grumpy in the morning.

[Lemon Drop2]

I agree, the camps need their own flood warning systems, especially since the county won't invest in that. 

Just based on decriptions of the sleeping quarters, the boys had rafters to hold onto, and they were physically able to do so. Some had to swim out of high windows. It also took many counselors to rescue the young boys in the lowest lying cabins, they knew how to make a line with ropes so nobody got swept away.  
They also had half as many kids at their camp. 
Whether it was training or quick-thinking or better staff to camper ratios,  there was more than luck involved.