If you were among the thousands that picked up sand bags during your preps for Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression Gustav, Shreveport Mayor Cedric B. Glover is asking you to keep those sand bags in a safe place and not discard them.

“We are in the midst of an active hurricane season in the Atlantic and Hurricanes Ike and Josephine are looking like they may come into the Gulf,” says Mayor Glover. “Should that happen and those storms come towards the Louisiana Coast, a good number of our local citizens will already have sand bags and be prepared.”

In anticipation for Gustav Shreveport Department of Operational Service crews manned an operation that over a three day period provided more than 40,000 sand bags for local citizens.

Shreveport’s DOS Director Mike Strong also advises residents that when they feel that the sand bags at their homes and business are no longer needed ... the City will NOT pick them up. Strong suggests residents should untie or cut the bags and either spread the sand onto their yards or flower beds.