Dauphin Island prepares for Ida

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. - The high surf made for fun for some on Dauphin Island late Sunday. But, it wasn't a normal lazy Sunday on the Island.

Officer Tony Lafrenier said city leaders and emergency officials were staying in touch with the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency. Lafrenier said the city had already started it preparations for Ida.

"We've readied our emergency vehicles, our rescue vehicles that we use during hurricanes. We've made preparations to do rescues if need be, and we have checked out all our police, fire, and medical vehicles," Lafrenier said.

And police are advising others to take note as well.

Property owner Bruce Jones was cleaning up his rental house on the west end. He thinks it's be okay for this storm.

"There's not much I'll do to this house, other than just pull the things up that normally are on the ground like garbage containers, and things of that sort. I don't think I'll board up unless I hear a different version of the forecast," Jones said.

A little further west Denise Knizley wasn't taking any chances. He spent the day boarding up his house before heading back to the city.

"It's quite unusual for November to hae a storm coming, but it appears to be it will have a significant impact on the west end of Dauphin Island at least," Knizley said.

The water was almost to the homes on the beachside on the west end Sunday afternoon. That's because the berm that was built to protect them several years ago is gone.

"We really don't know what to expect. What we're preparing for is rising water. The extent of that we don't know yet. But we're gonna prepare for the worse. If it starts rising quickly they need to get out, and they need to be ready if we advise them to get out to move quickly," Lafrenier said.

Dauphin island elementary will be open Monday. Mobile county school officials said they'll decide Monday if there will be classes on Tuesday.

Dauphin Island police had not received word about any shelters on the island as of Sunday.