ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — While Ida came onshore as a relatively weak tropical system Tuesday morning, and no damage was reported by representatives of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, county emergency workers were taking no chances. Police in Robertsdale and Loxley report that there were no problems in their towns during the storm, and Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy e-mailed that, “We didn't have anything major, one small outage on the west side of town last night and that was it.”

The Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale was used as an emergency shelter Monday. When the shelter was opened, around 10 a.m. Monday, Ida had just been downgraded to a tropical depression. When the decision was made Sunday evening to open the shelter, Ida was a Category 2 storm drawing a bead on the area.

Just having a safe place to go to was a relief for Melissa Hill and her mother, Elaine Harrison of Spanish Fort.

“We live in a low-lying area,” said Hill. “We’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Harrison has a bad knee and got into the shelter with a wheel chair.

“We stayed (in a shelter) for Hurricane Gustav,” said Harrison. “We’re glad to have a safe place to come to.”

The pair had brought all the right things — medication, important papers, and clothes for a few days, even though the shelter would be closing sometime on Tuesday. They were busy storing the bags under their cots.

For Renee Cook, Shelter Coordinator for Baldwin County, the shelter opening “went well.”

“It was pretty easy,” Cook said. “It took about four man-hours, and we started preparing (to open the shelter) yesterday.”

The opening of the Coliseum as a shelter was a good dry run for a larger emergency, Cook added.

“We’ve been lucky this year,” she added.

For Kaylee Hinson, a fifth-grade student at Foley Intermediate School, the storm provided a way to earn service hours for her Girl Scout “Bronze Award.”

She came with her grandmother, Bonnie Hinson, the shelter manager to help set up the shelter. Kaylee’s mother and father, Shea and Rusty Hinson, were also on hand to help run the operation.

“I’m here to help out,” said Kaylee.

“She (Kaylee) helped set up the cots,” said Barbara. The elder Hinson added that the first couple of hours after opening the shelter was “hectic,” getting all the supplies ready, and she expected a larger flow of people to come in after working hours were over.

She expected the unexpected to come through the shelter doors.

“We have a range of people who come in here,” said Barbara.