St. Landry Parish is moving forward with a major technology upgrade that local leaders say will improve emergency response, public works, and public access to information.
Parish officials announced a $373,500 corporate investment from ExxonMobil to help build a parish-wide Geographic Information System, or GIS. The system will allow multiple departments to work from the same real-time mapping platform.
What the GIS system will do
According to St. Landry Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Van Reed, the GIS system will connect first responders, 911, permitting, tax assessment, public works, and other parish offices through one shared mapping system. That means departments can access updated information faster and make better decisions in emergencies and daily operations.
The system can map far more than roads and addresses. Officials say it can track fire hydrants, drainage systems, water flow, road closures, flooding, and other infrastructure. Reed said the public will also benefit from online maps and dashboards that show district boundaries, road construction, and emergency updates in a format that is easier to understand.
Why it matters
Reed said the parish has wanted a GIS system for years, but cost was a major barrier. He credited ExxonMobil’s funding for helping make the project possible. He also said the company’s support goes beyond writing a check, pointing to training partnerships and other parish-level investments.
The parish is already building from existing mapping tools used by 911, the tax assessor, and regional planning groups. Officials also hired a GIS specialist who previously helped build Tangipahoa Parish’s mapping system. Reed said that should help speed up the rollout.
For St. Landry Parish, this project is about more than maps. It is about building a stronger system for public safety, infrastructure planning, and transparency.