In collaboration with The Safety Navigator, we are proud to announce the launch of Know Before You Go: A Parent’s Guide to Camp Safety! This is a free resource designed to facilitate productive conversations between families and camp leaders across nine categories of child safety.
Navigating camp safety can be difficult due to a disparate state regulatory environment and the industry’s historical lack of oversight. Know Before You Go: A Parent’s Guide to Camp Safety simplifies a complex topic by offering families guided questions and criteria for evaluating a youth camp’s safety protocols. This approach not only empowers parents but also provides camp directors a platform to highlight their rigorous standards and ongoing commitment to safety.
On July 4, 2025, two counselors and 25 campers, now known collectively as the “Heaven’s 27,” lost their lives in the devastating flash floods at Camp Mystic. This preventable tragedy is an unimaginable heartbreak that no one should have to endure. Yet amidst their deepest grief, a coalition of “Heaven’s 27” parents ignited a movement to make summer camps safer for all children. This free parent guide resource is a part of the girls’ lasting legacies.
“Every camper deserves a summer that is both fun and safe. Know Before You Go: A Parent’s Guide to Camp Safety advances this goal by providing families with the critical questions needed to assess camp safety standards. This initiative bridges the gap between recent camp safety legislation, the enduring legacy of Heaven’s 27, and practical, everyday safety efforts.” –Blake Bonner, Co-Founder of The Campaign for Camp Safety
Designed as an accessible resource, the Guide offers a starting point for safety discussions with camp leaders across nine key areas:
- Safety leadership and culture
- Staff training
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Aquatic safety
- Parent communication
- Staff recruitment and screening
- Supervision and camper ratios
- Emergency preparedness and response
- Risk management and improvement
“Know Before You Go: A Parent’s Guide to Camp Safety is built around partnership, encouraging parents to approach camps with curiosity, to be patient and flexible with how information is shared, and to remember that strong camps welcome these conversations. Effective collaboration between camps and families remains essential to ensuring that camp environments remain both enriching and safe.” -Charlee Johnson, Co-Founder of The Safety Navigator.
For more information about Know Before You Go: A Parent’s Guide and to access the free resource, click here and download The Safety Navigator app for ongoing updates and tools for parents and camps alike.
This blog was updated on 7/27/26.
