TANGIPAHOA PARISH - Officials are ensuring residents that they are doing everything they can to keep them calm and safe following a surge of reported threats made after the deadly Parkland school shooting.

"...We share the common goal of providing a safe place for our residents to live, work and raise their families, and safe schools for our children to attend," Sheriff Daniel Edwards and Superintendent Mark Kolwe said in a joint written statement Thursday. They noted their agencies have received an increase in threats to schools and other institutions, "causing fear, anxiety and frustration for educators, parents and children."

The officials noted that social media has been used to publicize the threats, which they said often were made anonymously hoaxes. Despite that, they said "please know and please be very sure that your child or children area aware that all threats will be taken seriously and all will be investigated."

Sheriff Daniels said all threats come with serious consequences, and the person responsible for making the threat would see appropriate action from law enforcement and school officials.

In the letter, they also explained warning officials about a possible threat would not lead to those consequences, "because speakin gup could potentially save lives." They urged parents to have a conversation with their children about what to do if they come in contact with a similar threat.