SHORE ACRES, Fla. — When Hurricane Idalia hit Florida at the end of August, the storm caused major flooding and destruction. One community that is no stranger to severe flooding is Shore Acres in St. Petersburg.
“We used to have an entertainment center here. Couches that went around. And I was sitting there, and he started slamming into the slider,” explained Matthew Bader, Shore Acres resident.
Bader told ABC Action News that he evacuated his wife and three sons before the storm hit. However, he refused to leave.
“A captain always goes down with his ship. I understood the risks. I am confident in my skills. I had to see it for myself,” said Bader.
Bader said he was sleeping when water started filling his family’s home, but he was able to get out thanks to his pet tortoise, Raphael. The 10-year-old reptile woke him up as the flood waters began to rise.
“He was banging all 70 pounds of himself on the slider, just trying to get away from the water. He's a land tortoise. He's not a turtle. So, they don't live in water,” said Bader.
After moving Raphael to higher ground for his safety, Bader evacuated on a canoe with his dog, cat, and whatever else he could grab.
Bader recorded video of the flooding both inside and outside of his house and said he’d never seen it like this before.
“This flooding is not what happens in Shore Acres. And heavy rains and storms kind of sit around. When they talk about flooding, that's street flooding. Maybe it gets onto the sidewalk. This was a category three-level flood, which is sewer, salt, and freshwater. This is a real flood. Could happen anywhere,” explained Bader.
Bader's losses were extensive since his car was submerged in floodwaters along with all the contents of his home. As a project manager for a builder and developer, Bader knew exactly what to do when construction began.
“I'm fortunate enough to have every person in line through my general contracting company to do it as if I was running it through the city,” said Bader.
He also knew mold could be a real problem, so he hired a professional to test the levels.
“In this house after the flood, we had 98% moisture, seven feet up the walls, which FEMA does not deem a problem,” explained Bader. He adds, “Their position is, is that if 6 to 10 inches of water got into your house for 24 hours, it's not a foot of water for one week. Mold doesn't see it that way.”
So, Bader is now paying out of pocket to make sure all the mold is removed. Until his house is ready, his family is living in an RV.
But Bader said he has learned two valuable lessons. The first is to pay attention to your pets.
“The tortoise knew that there were problems,” explained Bader.
The second lesson is don’t be afraid to start over.
“It's OK to clean your slate, rebuild your family unit, and start over. It's just OK. Your friends or family are going to come, and they're going to help you, and you can get through it,” said Bader.
