By John Summers | WBR Independent April 26, 2026

PORT ALLEN — When disaster strikes in West Baton Rouge Parish, the American Red Cross has no one here to respond.

That was the message Burk Hughes, disaster programs manager for the Red Cross capital area, delivered to the Port Allen Neighborhood Watch at its March 24 meeting — and the reason he came looking for help.

"I don't have anybody on the disaster action team from West Baton Rouge Parish," Hughes told the group. "I don't have any that live in West Feliciana. I don't have anybody that lives in St. James."

Hughes said nearly all of his volunteers live within a mile of the Red Cross office on Airline Highway in East Baton Rouge Parish. When a fire or other emergency happens on the west side of the river, responders have to drive to the office, pick up a vehicle, cross the bridge, and then reach the scene — turning what should be a 30-minute to one-hour response into two or three hours.

His 10-parish territory — which includes East and West Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Iberville, Ascension, St. James, and St. Helena — handled 462 disaster responses last year with just 12 to 16 volunteers.

What the Red Cross actually does

Hughes said most people associate the Red Cross with blood drives, but in Louisiana, the organization doesn't even collect blood. Its disaster services side is what responds when the fire trucks leave.

"The fire department comes out. They put out the fire. The police may come out. They will direct traffic. But that's it. Then they leave," Hughes said. "And so it's 1 o'clock in the morning. You're going out to go help a family. And they're just sitting there."

When the Red Cross does respond, it provides immediate financial assistance for hotel stays, food, and replacement of personal items. Disaster health services can replace lost medication, medical equipment, hearing aids, and dentures. Mental health counselors and spiritual care volunteers are also available — all at no charge.

In cases involving fatalities, the Red Cross can help families with funeral services if the death resulted from the disaster — a benefit Hughes said most people don't know about.

"Unfortunately, most people don't know about that," Hughes said. He pointed to recent fire deaths in Erwinville and Springfield where his team was never contacted and still had no information on the affected families.

"If we were already involved in that community, we would already have this information. We would have already been able to help the families," he said.

Volunteer training on the table

Hughes offered to bring his disaster action team boot camp directly to the neighborhood watch — a four- to five-hour training that can be split across two evenings. Graduates would be equipped to open a Red Cross case at a disaster scene.

"The first several, we're going to work with you," Hughes said. "We're not just going to kick you out there."

He also proposed partnering on smoke alarm installations. The Red Cross provides 10-year battery smoke alarms, including ADA-compliant models with bed shakers and strobe lights for residents who are deaf or hard of hearing — equipment Hughes said most fire departments don't carry.

Neighborhood Watch President Rachel said the group — currently at 22 members in its GroupMe — is interested.

"I'd be interested in signing up to do it," she said. "Heck, I like doing stuff like that."

Hughes noted that one neighborhood of 300 homes organized its own disaster action team with just 16 volunteers — enough to clear roads, check on neighbors, and distribute food after a hurricane knocked out power.

"Don't be discouraged about 22 people," Hughes said. "It was only 16 people. It was a lot more after the disaster."

Police warn of DMV text scam heading into summer

Assistant Chief Revay Smith of the Port Allen Police Department addressed the group with a warning about fraud and scams as summer approaches.

"The DMV will never text you," Smith told residents. He said any legitimate communication from the DMV will arrive as an official letter with a letterhead, director's signature, and verifiable contact information.

Smith recommended residents use multiple bank accounts — separating bills, purchases, and savings — and switch to tap-to-pay through Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than swiping debit cards. Tap-to-pay encrypts each transaction individually and requires real-time authorization through fingerprint, passcode, or face ID.

"Even if a hacker is able to access the information, they won't be able to do anything with it," Smith said.

AI-generated flood video causes false alarm

Hughes referenced a recent incident in which an AI-generated video posted to Instagram showed a subdivision flooding and a levee break in the area. The post prompted calls from concerned volunteers, but after checking with the sheriff, the mayor, and the Office of Emergency Preparedness, the report turned out to be entirely fabricated.

Next Meeting, How to Volunteer

The next Neighborhood Watch meeting is Tuesday, April 28, at 6 p.m. at Port Allen City Hall.

Residents interested in volunteering with the Red Cross disaster action team can contact Burk Hughes at 504-909-1419, email burk.hughes@redcross.org, or visit redcross.org/volunteer.

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