LIVINGSTON - Livingston Parish has begun prepping for Francine, a tropical storm system that looks like it will make landfall in the next 48 hours.

Officials say preparation goes beyond filling and grabbing sandbags. Director of Livingston's Office of Emergency Preparedness Chris Anderson says the parish's new emergency preparedness office provides a better view for authorities when there's an emergency.

"The road cameras, the weather currently in the parish, and GPS locations of our vehicles that are actually out doing these works," Anderson said.

The new center will also allow them to monitor weather forecasts and power outages. it has space for various governmental authorities, improving cooperation and allowing the parish to respond faster to what the public needs.

"It's vital the school board is sitting here because we may have to activate and use them for shelters so the school board being here in this center if we have to use a shelter that first-hand person knowledge and ability to contact their representative makes things happen a bit faster," Anderson said.

Parish President Randy Delatte wants Livingston Parish residents to know they are prepared for whatever the storm may bring.

"The reason that we will be prepared is that the training we had done before this storm got here, we know that as long you are prepared there may be some things that will still happen; we feel like that the citizens of Livingston Parish will get the emergency services that are required, whether it's clearing the road so they can get to the doctor hospital get to work whatever it is," Delatte said.