The Livingston Parish Council voted Oct. 9 to authorize the parish president to execute a contract with 1Rain, Inc., doing business as AEM, as the responsible low bidder for an HMGP-funded early-warning weather station project.

Parish Homeland Security and emergency management staff said the grant-funded system will deploy 10 stations across the parish. The intended locations include multiple Livingston Parish schools, a remote fire station (District 11), a LIGO site favored for its open elevation, and the Emergency Operations Center to receive live data. The stations will measure wind speeds, lightning strikes, rainfall and other meteorological data; officials said wind-speed monitoring is a principal concern during storms.

Staff noted the equipment will also provide school officials with live data during events. The contract and installation are funded through a federal HMGP grant; officials said the project has been in development for about two years. A parish representative and project engineer were present to answer technical questions about siting and data transmission.

Councilman Magnus and others spoke in favor of the investment for school safety and improved situational awareness. The council approved the resolution authorizing the president to execute the contract by unanimous vote.

Next steps include finalizing the contract with AEM and beginning site installations according to the grant schedule.