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Bay Area doctor impacted by Hurricane Helene uses social media to help others with flooded homes

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Published  October 5, 2024 12:00am EDT
Hurricane Helene
FOX 13 News

Navigating the storm's aftermath

Genevieve Curtis reports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Hurricane Helene isn't the first time homeowners in the Shore Acres neighborhood of St. Petersburg have seen flooding, but it's the worst they've dealt with. 

Dr. Meghan Martin, a local ER doctor who lives in the area, said her home has flooded multiple times in four years. But after Helene, it's down to the studs. They had just moved back into the home nine months ago after renovations from Hurricane Idalia. 

In December, they started the process of raising the home, but ran into a long process with a lot of red tape. 

READ: Artificial intelligence can help with contents insurance claims after Hurricane Helene

"Our plan is to lift 12 feet in the air, which would have completely avoided any water in the main living space. We would have been totally fine if we had been able to get lifted," said Martin.

The pediatric ER doctor was working her shift, watching the water rise on her camera. Like many first responders, Martin wears two hats during emergencies like Helene. 

"I want to be able to take care of people when they're hurting and when they're suffering. And none of that stops when it's a hurricane," said Martin. "But, I’m also torn, because, sometimes I just want to be with my family and making sure that they're safe as well."

But she's taken on a third role. Martin is now using her social media platform and experience with flooding to help others navigate the overwhelming process of rebuilding. 

MORE: A glimmer of hope: Ruskin restaurant committed to staying open after Hurricane Helene

As a content creator, she has a combined nearly three million followers on Instagram and TikTok.

"I’m an expert in pediatric health and education, and I’m also an expert in house floods. And, I definitely did not want to be an expert in house floods," said Martin.

Before Hurricane Helene, she gave advice, sharing how they put belongings into storage. Now, her viral videos are helping people figure out what to do after flooding, giving safety tips and laying out a road map for how to get and to apply for aid.

The videos have been viewed and shared hundreds of thousands of times. 

READ: 'Insurance village' opens for Bay Area residents impacted by Hurricane Helene

"I don't know if it's really sunk in, how much impact that the videos have had and how many eyes have been on them," she said. "But I think for me, the most important takeaway is that people are getting something out of it."

Her videos are helping hundreds, but walking through the shell of her home is just hard.

"I was good until yesterday. And yesterday is when everything hit. The adrenaline stopped, and it just crashed, and it was like, this sucks. This really sucks," said Martin.

Thinking about next steps and options is overwhelming, but she’ll continue bringing followers along the journey, giving them a glimpse into her world and what so many other families are facing.

"People are struggling. And I think it's important for the rest of the world to know what we're going through," said Martin. 

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