Union Parish OHSEP

08/03/2026

07/13/2026

We are excited to announce one of our own has earned an additional credential.

Burt Green, Deputy Director of the Union Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (UPOHSEP), has earned the Louisiana Emergency Manager Basic (LEM-B) credential, advancing from the Louisiana Emergency Manager Technical (LEM-T) certification.

The LEM-B certification recognizes advanced professional development and competency in the field of emergency management. Green completed an extensive application process that included professional references, educational requirements, and a certification examination. He completed 46 hours of required FEMA coursework and documented more than 350 additional hours of emergency management training, far exceeding the minimum requirement of 154 additional training hours.

As part of the certification process, applicants must also demonstrate a significant professional contribution to the field. Green's submission highlighted his public weather education, severe weather awareness efforts, preparedness messaging, and emergency information sharing through his Weather UP by Burt Green page. With more than 12,000 followers, the page shares severe weather outlooks, warnings, preparedness messaging, and other pertinent information to help keep residents informed before, during, and after hazardous weather events. Those efforts were previously recognized when Green was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Union Parish Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen Award for Community - Public Service.

UPOHSEP Director Matthew Ford praised Green's accomplishment.

"Burt has always been committed to learning and finding ways to better serve the people of Union Parish. Earning the LEM-B is a reflection of his dedication and the countless hours he has invested in emergency management. Our parish is fortunate to have someone with his passion and commitment helping lead our emergency preparedness efforts," Ford said.

Green has served as Deputy Director of the Union Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness since February 2022.

07/02/2026

Per DOTD, both Lake D'Arbonne Spillway gates are now closed. The latest lake level is 80.99 ft.

06/24/2026

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for Lake D'Arbonne. The lake is forecast to rise above the flood stage of 83.0 feet Thursday afternoon and crest near 84.0 feet this weekend before gradually receding. DOTD has opened the tainter gates at the Spillway.

If you have a camp, boat, or other property along the lake, now is a good time to prepare. As the lake approaches 84.0 feet, flooding will become more widespread and some low-lying roads around the lake may become flooded.

Please remember: Turn Around, Don't Drown. Never drive through flooded roads or around barricades.

Union Parish OHSEP is monitoring the situation and will continue providing updates as needed.

05/12/2026

"Weekly Leadership Quote"
Earn your leadership every day. –Michael Jordan

05/06/2026

Director Ford and Deputy Director Green took a quick break from the Louisiana Emergency Management Conference today to check out the Hurricane Awareness Tour at Chennault International Airport. They had the opportunity to tour the U.S. Air Force Reserve WC-130J “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft and learn more about the critical missions these crews perform during hurricane season.

These aircraft play a major role in gathering real-time storm data that helps forecasters track hurricanes and improve public safety decisions before and during severe weather events. It was a great experience seeing the aircraft up close and speaking with the teams that support these operations.

While Union Parish may not experience hurricanes as frequently as our coastal parishes, we still see impacts from tropical systems including severe weather, flooding, tornadoes, power outages, and in some rare cases even the remnants of hurricanes themselves. Preparing for these events remains an important part of emergency management for our parish.

As we continue preparing for the 2026 hurricane season, opportunities like this help strengthen our understanding of the tools, partnerships, and response capabilities involved in protecting Louisiana communities statewide.

05/05/2026

"Weekly Leadership Quote"
You don’t lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership. –Dwight Eisenhower

04/28/2026

04/28/2026

"Weekly Leadership Quote"
The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. –Dwight Eisenhower

04/26/2026

The burn ban for Union Parish has been rescinded, effective 4/26/2026.