Hurricane Isaias damage in Orange Beach: minimal, and what a survey misses

What was reported

• Officials said damage across the city was minimal, with roads being checked and cleared ahead of a planned reopening on Saturday morning. Source: Fox Weather
• NBC News, citing the National Hurricane Center, reported a 72 mph gust at Orange Beach. Source: NBC News
• A curfew took effect at 19:00 CT. Source: BBC
• Alabama’s governor ordered non-residents to evacuate Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Dauphin Island on Thursday, Oct 8. Source: ABC30

What do Orange Beach homeowners need to know about permits, debris and help from the city and Baldwin County after Isaias?

Orange Beach reported minimal citywide damage after Isaias, and that creates its own documentation problem: minor damage is easy to wave off and hard to prove a month from now. These notes are for homeowners documenting their own damage. I do not contract or repair in Florida or Alabama. I do not offer claim help. Here is what the city and county have published.

The city said: "Please do not put any more debris on the side of the road." Source: City of Orange Beach Check the city’s alerts for the current pickup instruction before you set anything out. On October 9 the city reported minimal damage citywide, and public works crews were clearing debris and downed trees on all streets. Source: City of Orange Beach The curfew ended at 7 a.m. on October 10, the bridges reopened, and the city rescinded its local state of emergency at 11 a.m. that day. I did not find a post-October 10 debris schedule. Before the storm, the city’s updates also asked contractors to pick up or secure all construction-related property and debris, so loose material at a nearby job site belongs in your photographs too. Source: City of Orange Beach

What counts as minor? A few shingles, a cracked window seal, a stained ceiling, water along a door threshold, screens torn off a porch, fence boards, and damaged soffit all qualify. Photograph each one with a date stamp, wide and close, and write down when you first noticed it. Photograph debris where it lies on your property, and leave it there rather than moving it to the roadside.

On permits, the city’s post-storm updates contain no permit guidance, only a general permit portal link. Source: City of Orange Beach I found no Orange Beach rule on emergency repairs or fee waivers, so call the city at 251-981-6979 before work begins and keep notes on the answer.

If the power went out, Baldwin EMC’s line for reporting an outage is 251-989-6247. Source: City of Orange Beach Write down when your power failed and when it came back, because that timeline is part of the record of the storm at your address.

Baldwin County Emergency Management lists a Call Center at 251-972-6807 and says unmet needs and recovery help go through its volunteer organizations at baldwincountyvoad@gmail.com. Source: Baldwin County Emergency Management For supplies, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency says to call or text 2-1-1. Source: Alabama EMA

I found no confirmation of a federal disaster declaration for Alabama; the one I could verify is a Florida emergency declaration. Source: WLOX Operation Blue Roof does not appear to be active, because no major disaster declaration is listed. Source: FEMA

Before hiring anyone, use the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board’s "Look Up a License" tool or call 334-242-2230. The board notes that unauthorized home building during the emergency can be charged as a felony. Source: Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board Consumer complaints can go to the Attorney General at (334) 242-7300. Source: Alabama Attorney General

What a street survey misses

A damage survey on roads and curbs sees downed trees and debris. It does not see an attic or a window seal. A 72 mph gust with rain can drive water sideways, and that water finds the small path: a balcony door track, a window wall joint, a roof edge flashing.

The result is often not visible for days. A tidy exterior does not rule out damp insulation or a soft ceiling tile in an unoccupied unit.

High-rise condos and The Wharf area

1. Balconies and sliders

   Door tracks, thresholds and sealant lines, and the walls inside them, are where rain tends to enter.

2. Window walls

   Staining at joints and under sills is the sign to note.

3. Roof edges and equipment

   Parapets, curbs and flashings are the usual places where rain gets past the membrane.

4. Vacant units

   After the evacuation, a leak in a vacant unit may have gone unseen. A walk through each floor by the building’s own staff is the first step.

From Perdido Beach Boulevard to the Pass

Along Perdido Beach Boulevard, toward Perdido Pass and the waterfront around The Wharf, hotels and condos make up much of the skyline. Neighboring Gulf Shores has its own page.

• Perdido Beach Boulevard
• The Wharf area
• Perdido Pass area
• Alabama Point area
• Cotton Bayou area
• Orange Beach Waterfront Park area

Safety first, always

This page is information only. In disputes I give technical opinions to attorneys. Coverage questions go to your insurer, the Alabama Department of Insurance, or an attorney. I am not an attorney.

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