Tropical Storm Fay, rumbling toward the Gulf Coast, prompted parish emergency officials on Friday to pump out retention ponds and put sandbag operators on standby.

Then late Friday, the storm’s path shifted, and weather officials put even more emphasis on St. Tammany Parish.

“Our plans are already in place, and we’re ready,” said parish spokeswoman Suzanne Parsons-Stymiest, who added officials were meeting Saturday and expected to make additional decisions following the 4 p.m. advisory. “This storm has shifted, but it’s shifted before, so we’re watching it closely.” A tropical storm watch was issued late Friday from the mouth of the Pearl River to Grand Isle, and the storm is expected to move into the Northshore parishes as a tropical storm late Sunday or early Monday. A flash flood watch was also put into affect.

Unless the storm’s path shifts again, forecasters say winds could be around 35-45 miles per hour with gusts up to 55 mph, and St. Tammany Parish could receive upwards of 5 inches of rain or more.

Fay killed 20 people in the Caribbean before hitting Florida, where at least six are dead, then skirted across the state for days and dumped as much as 25 inches of rain in some areas.

The storm hit Florida four different times in the past week, finally crossing into the Florida Panhandle Saturday and making landfall about 15 miles north-northeast of Apalachicola, according to the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center.

The storm was expected to leave Florida Saturday and reach the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi today.

On Friday, parish officials were already preparing for Fay. The parish’s Department of Public Works pumped out the Whisperwood and Lowe’s retention ponds in the Slidell area and opened valves on Meadowbrook and Arrowwood ponds.

The parish also put employees on standby to assist with road and drainage emergency issues, including clearing trees from the roads and preventive closing of roads with high water.

“We don’t expect any unusual issues from storm surge if Fay stays on the projected path,” St. Tammany Parish co-director of Engineering Dr. Elizabeth Smythe said Friday before the storm’s shift. “We will continue to monitor the storm and our river gauges in the event that rainfall to the north raises river levels.”

Dexter Accardo, director of St. Tammany Parish’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said officials are taking precautionary measures for a larger storm “since Tropical Storm Fay has been unpredictable.”

In Slidell, still recovering from the wrath of Hurricane Katrina three years ago, Mayor Ben Morris and Chief of Police Freddie Drennan are keeping a wary eye on the forecast.

Because the storm could bring local flooding, Morris advises that any Slidell resident living in an area prone to flooding to take all precautions to protect their property. This may include moving vehicles and important papers to higher ground.

Fay’s winds may not be excessive, but the high amount of rain could cause problems in the Slidell area, Drennan said. The city has seen a lot of rain lately, and because the ground is already saturated, there may be flooding, plus the saturated ground may cause trees to collapse in the storm’s winds. Falling trees can cause power outages, and Drennan ask residents to stock up on flashlights, fresh batteries, as well as having a battery-powered radio or television.

City leaders also advise that people have a hurricane kit with fresh water, non-perishable foods, and a first aid kit in case the storm causes a lot of damage.

Drennan also advises that residents make sure their cellular phones are fully charged and that their car’s gas tanks are full.

In case of street flooding, Drennan reminds residents that it is unlawful to drive in the streets at such a speed that it pushes water into houses and businesses.

Motorists are also reminded that it is illegal for motorists to circumvent barricades put up by police to keep cars out of flooded areas. Any person who violates any of these ordinances may face either a $500 fine, or 15 days in jail, or both. The judge may also order the violator to pay for any property damage that may ensue from the violation.

In Covington and elsewhere, city officials were clearing drains of debris and tying down garbage cans, while city vehicles were being gassed and prepped for any emergency.