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Florida doctor goes viral on TikTok for teaching 'Flooding 101' after Helene

She became an expert after her home flooded after Hurricanes Eta, Idalia, and now Helene.
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — From medical doctor to house doctor.

Meaghan Martin, a pediatric emergency room physician in Florida, is yet again going viral on TikTok.

Her health tips have gone viral in the past, and so did her quintessentially “Florida” commute to work after Hurricane Debby when she used an inflatable paddleboard to avoid water in her flooded neighborhood.

This time, she’s going viral for sharing tips on a topic she, unfortunately, knows a lot about: what to do after your home floods. Her Shore Acres home in St. Petersburg, Florida, flooded after Hurricanes Eta, Idalia, and now Helene.

“We got around 4 feet,” said Martin. “This was by far the worst. We haven’t seen anything like this in the past.”

RELATED STORY | Woman who survived Hurricane Katrina compares flooding to Hurricane Helene

Her recent TikToks explore topics like drywall removal, mold prevention, how to document your damage, and protect yourself and others.

“You can protect unsuspecting Facebook Marketplace buyers by destroying your stuff because the pickers are going to take it and put it online to sell to other people,” she instructed in one video.

The tips are no-brainers to some, but not all, after Helene flooded homes that have never flooded before.

“The videos are getting lots of views. People in the comments are very positive and helpful, and it looks like a lot of people are sending it off to other people that have experienced the flooding,” Martin said.

RELATED STORY | Chapel becomes a sanctuary for North Carolina mountain town devastated by Helene

Whether in the ER or on TikTok, Dr. Martin just wants to help.

Her handle is @beachgem10 on TikTok. On Instagram, it’s @dr.beachgem10.

This article was originally published by Chad Mills for Scripps News Tampa.

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