LIVINGSTON - Many people in Livingston Parish are getting a jump-start on storm preparations ahead of this weekend's severe weather.

Toni Terry, who has flooded multiple times, including the August 2016 flood, was busy loading up on sandbags Wednesday afternoon.

"It's like every hard rain we have to worry," said Terry. "We still have 100 sandbags in the backyard from 2016 so this is us gearing up again, I guess."

She's not the only one. Dozens of people have been visiting Livingston Parish fire stations filling up bags and hauling them off to their homes.

Damon Deville had stopped by a fire station Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning to fill up on a few dozen bags. He says he got water into his home during last month's storm.

"We just got a little water on June 6," said Deville. "First time, I've been here 20 years right here in Walker."

Concerned calls have come into the Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness by the thousands. Director Mark Harrell says many of those calls are from people looking for information about rainfall and supplies.

"What, 70 almost 80 percent went under water in 2016 so I know what they're going through," said Harrell. "We want to help them relieve some of that anxiety so we're going to get all the sand and sandbags out and we're going to keep them out."

While some people have already put out their sandbags in preparation, Harrell says there is a right and wrong way to stack the bags on your property. He says it's a good idea to remove the grass from the area where the bags are going, put down some Visqueen plastic and then stack the sandbags on top up to where you need them. Once they're at the desired height, roll the Visqueen back over the bags and then put another layer of sandbags. The plastic helps keep the water out of the holes where coverage might be missed.

Livingston Parish Department of Public Works says it's been busy with crews in Watson, Maurepas, and everywhere in between.

"Starting tonight I'm going to go ahead and put a night shift on so we'll be here if we need be," said Planning Director Sam Digirolamo.

Digirolamo notes his crews are in areas that were problem spots during the June 6, 2019, rain event. There are nearly 50 public works employees in the field working Wednesday.

Sandbag locations

Fire District 2: Station 1 at 32280 Terry Street, Springfield

Fire District 2: Station 2 at 31447 Hwy. 22, Killian

Fire District 2: Station 5 at 25389 Hutchinson CC Road, Springfield

Fire District 3: Station 1 at 930 Government Street in Denham Springs

Fire District 4: Station 1 at 29758 Palmetto Street, Denham Springs

Fire District 10: Station 1 at 30928 Hwy. 441, Holden

Fire District 11: Station 1 at 33815 Hwy. 43 (old 4th Ward School), Albany

Fire District 9: Station 1 at 23634 Hwy. 22, Maurepas

Fire District 9: Station 2 at 20368 Hwy. 22, Maurepas

Port Vincent Community Center: 18235 Hwy. 16

Fire District 8: Station 1 at 15160 Hwy. 16, French Settlement

Fire District 1: Station 1 at 29778 Hwy. 43, Albany

Town of Livingston: 20550 Circle Drive behind town hall

Fire District 4: Station 2 at 35455 Walker N. Road, Walker