Government health officials are now strongly recommending residents still living in FEMA trailers following Hurricane Katrina, be relocated. Due to dangerously high levels of formaldehyde present in the FEMA trailers used for the past two years as temporary housing, the CDC is issuing a warning stating that the trailers are toxic enough to cause burning eyes and breathing problems for people who have asthma or sensitivity to air pollutants.
Fumes from 519 trailer and mobile homes in Louisiana and Mississippi average five times the level that people are exposed to in most modern homes, according to the US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Mike McGeehin, director of a CDC division, that focuses on environmental hazards said, "we do not want people exposed to this for very much longer." The CDC is making a statement regarding this situation right now, and is planning to visit each trailer delivering this information.
Do you think this is too little, too late? What will have to happen to get displaced residents, housing? Why were the trailers unsafe to begin with?
Yves Saint Laurent
It might be too late for some people.
They might be already be feeling the effects of the
formaldehyde or will be feeling it in the future. But, honestly where will they all go? It's a no-win situation.
1This is a no-win situation. There are so many people still scrambling for help trying to get in to a trailer and return to the area. This will become another long bureaucratic nightmare of paperwork for those affected not mention a long-term medical issue.
2It breaks my heart how terribly the Katrina situation has been handled. There are so many ways in which the government and the Bush Adminstration let their citizens down. But that is to be expected when you appoint someone completely unqualified to run FEMA.
3it wasn't mainly bush, it's also the idiot governor we had back then AND the fact that corrupt politicians still run rampant through the state and walked away with a lot of the federal cash that was supposed to go elsewhere...
4Where's Brownie when you need him?
5well what now? Fact is, they still need to live somewhere, and just because several years have gone by does not mean the majority are all in a better position.
6are there any ideas being generated, and is there anyone taking action? at the very least, you'd think if they were going to take away the bad trailer that they'd replace it with a better one. I know it's easier said than done and will cost a fortune, but it's not like that's a new condition.
I feel that Bush carries so much of the burden because he put "Brownie" into position as the head of FEMA. When FEMA was needed, they failed to act. A State of Emergency was declared days before the hurricane hit. The federal government had plenty of time to respond to the state's cry for assistance, but they didn't do anything until days after.
Tragic.
7This just makes me sick to my stomach.
8Tragic tragic tragic, no solution, future years of lawsuits, pain and suffering. They could have put people up in the Hilton for what this is going to co$t.
9haven't they had enough? STILL IN FEMA TRAILERS? oh my god. i can't handle it. I volunteered one fall break with Hands on Gulf Coast (http://www.handsongulfcoast.org/) and it's organizations like Hands On that will save these people, NOT our own government. makes me sick. so, support Hands On, ya'll.
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