After a Storm: Marco Island Seawall Damage Checklist

Keep clear of new voids and moving structures

Do not stand on a damaged cap, probe settled ground or place equipment beside a leaning wall. Keep others away from the affected edge. If there is an immediate danger to people or utilities, contact the appropriate emergency service.

The city manual documents soil loss behind joints and failures involving underwater toe support. A wall that looks continuous from above can still have concealed damage, so describe new movement or settlement when arranging an assessment.

Marco Island Seawall Owner’s Manual (April 2014)

What should you do first when something has changed?

1. Keep the waterfront out of use

   Stay on stable ground and keep people, pets, vehicles and deliveries away from the affected edge. Do not cross settled paving to obtain a better photograph or send someone underwater to investigate.

2. Make a remote condition record

   From a safe location, photograph the whole frontage and the visible concern. Note when you first noticed it and what earlier photos show. Describe movement, settlement or exposed material without assigning a cause you cannot establish.

3. Arrange the right assessment

   Tell the professional about new movement, voids, dock interference and any utility concern. Ask what temporary restrictions are appropriate and whether an underwater investigation is needed.

4. Coordinate claims and approvals

   If you may make an insurance claim, contact the insurer promptly and keep a conversation log. FEMA advises documenting loss and retaining repair records. That process does not establish seawall coverage. Ask the permit office about the proposed temporary and permanent work.

Marco Island Seawall Owner’s Manual (April 2014) · NFIP Claims Checklist for Policyholders

Use storm history as context, not a diagnosis

NHC’s final Irma report places the September 10, 2017 southwest Florida landfall near Marco Island. That historical event does not prove that a particular wall was damaged, repaired or replaced. Ask for records of the actual property.

Compare safe, dated photographs with earlier photos. Record whether changes appeared after the storm, after heavy rainfall or during later yard work; preserve uncertainty if the timing is unknown.

NHC Hurricane Irma report

How can before-and-after evidence help?

Same viewpoint

Use earlier photos taken from comparable positions if available. Different tide levels or camera angles can make a change appear larger or smaller; let the assessor interpret the difference.

Separate dates

Record the storm date, first observation and assessment date individually. If no one saw the waterfront between those dates, preserve that gap.

Separate components

Identify damage to the wall, cap, dock, lift, utilities and landscaping separately. They may have different investigation, permit and coverage questions.

Track temporary work

Keep the professional direction, scope, original photos and invoices. Ask what further examination must happen before the final repair is selected.

A filled depression can hide a useful clue. Ask the professional how to manage the area before adding soil or covering damage. The next step is a documented condition assessment, followed by a scope that addresses the cause.

Marco Island Seawall Owner’s Manual (April 2014)

Build one damage file

• Address, parcel, date and photographs of each affected section.
• Available earlier survey, engineering report and permit records.
• Written inspection findings and areas the inspector could not reach.
• Temporary measures directed by a professional, with invoices and photos.
• Insurer correspondence and separate repair proposals; keep original records.

Confirm repair permissions and coverage separately

Storm damage does not automatically remove permit requirements or establish insurance coverage. Ask Building Services or Collier’s marine permit office about the proposed work and discuss the actual policy with the insurer.

See seawall coverage questions and assessment scope.

Marco Island Building Services · Collier County Marine permit — PRMAR · FEMA NFIP Claims Manual, June 2025