AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Glenn Juenke, the security guard at Camp Mystic, testified Wednesday that if a general evacuation order had been issued during last year’s deadly flood, it could have saved lives. Juenke shared his firsthand account as part of the ongoing legal battle between camp operators, who aim to reopen the camp this summer, and the families of victims who perished in the flood that struck the Guadalupe River during the early morning hours of July 4.
Juenke described how he assisted in moving some campers to a two-story building before becoming trapped inside a cabin himself. However, he managed to alert several girls to flee to higher ground as floodwaters rapidly increased. It was my decision to tell a group of campers to scramble on foot up a hillside, he stated, emphasizing that this action was not directed by camp authorities.
Throughout the testimony, Juenke highlighted the absence of training or emergency planning conducted by the camp's operators regarding evacuation protocols. This absence of preparation has fueled anger among families mourning their lost loved ones as the camp seeks to lift its suspension from state health regulators, amid an ongoing review of its license.
The legal proceedings have brought detailed insights into the events leading up to and during the flood, including explanations of the delays in decision-making surrounding evacuations. Juenke shared that he first collaborated with camp directors Dick and Edward Eastland in moving girls away from their cabins but eventually had to leave his vehicle as the water levels rose dangerously high.
Once on foot, he ordered a group of girls to seek higher ground before returning to a cabin, where he found himself trapped in waist-deep water. In a desperate effort to keep the girls safe, he told them to use air mattresses for flotation, which they did for several hours as they waited for rescue.
As dawn broke, Juenke and the surviving girls emerged and converged with other campers who had found refuge in a two-story recreation building. Despite the devastation of that night, none of the girls in Juenke’s cabin drowned.
However, the tragedy claimed the lives of 25 campers and two teenage counselors, including co-owner Dick Eastland. Families of the victims have pointed a critical finger toward the camp's failure to implement effective evacuation protocols.
“You can blame it on Mother Nature or God Almighty, but if anyone had used the speakers or walkie-talkies to tell them to leave before 3 am, they would’ve survived,” stated attorney Brad Beckworth, representing the family of 8-year-old Cile Steward, who remains unaccounted for.
While Juenke defended the actions of camp staff that night, asserting they did everything possible within the constraints of time, the devastating realities of the flood remain a poignant reminder of the urgent need for effective emergency preparedness.
