Congressman Wants FEMA Trailers Hearings

[Wayne_Zitkus]

As if the people of Louisiana haven't sufferred enough during Katrina and its aftermath, now they're being slowly poisoned.....

Congressman Wants FEMA Trailers Hearings
Friday, May 18, 2007

KENNER, La. — A Louisiana congressman is calling for hearings on the government's response to formaldehyde fumes in trailers provided to storm victims by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Earlier this month, the agency dismissed findings by environmentalists that the trailers pose serious health risks from the known carcinogen. The agency said the fumes could be reduced by opening vents and windows, a strategy deemed unacceptable by Rep. Bobby Jindal in light of the region's heat and humidity.

Jindal, a Republican widely expected to run for governor in the fall, sent a letter to House leadership Thursday calling for hearings, saying he was "astonished" by reports of dangerous levels of formaldehyde in the trailers.

"Further, case studies show that even if residents followed FEMA's guidelines on appropriate ventilation of trailers, high levels of formaldehyde can remain," Jindal said.

The formaldehyde is mostly contained in particleboard used in the trailers, from walls to cabinets.

FEMA has said that its trailers conform to industry standards and that the agency has found no reason to question their safety. A review of air samples from 96 new trailers by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry shows that formaldehyde levels were noticeable, as with many other new products, but that the levels fall within safe levels in days if a trailer is ventilated, FEMA said.

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http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May...ailers,00.html

[Zandoz]

Sorry, but I see this as a headline grab. Those trailers are made out of the same materials as almost all the other non-FEMA trailers in this country...and almost all the new and/or remodeled homes...and almost all the cars built in the last 30 or so years. It's nothing new...it's certainly not good...but nowhere near the issue this sensational article makes it. If this turns into a formaldehyde witch-hunt, it will make radon and asbestos combined look like a minor blip on the radar.

[Risible]

We're doing some remodeling on the house here, and I've done some research into using "green" materials to get around the inevitable indoor pollution issue that attends the installation of new carpets, flooring, tile, paint, etc. Apparently this stuff, as well as other construction materials, outgas pretty noxious, even toxic, fumes for a while, so it doesn't surprise me that trailers would also have indoor pollution problems.

We have a travel trailer and, yeah, it was pretty stinky at first; we leave the windows open as much as possible whenever we're in it. No biggie. I think this story is the media trying to horribilize what amounts to pretty tame stuff.

[Wayne_Zitkus]

Originally Posted by Risible

We have a travel trailer and, yeah, it was pretty stinky at first; we leave the windows open as much as possible whenever we're in it. No biggie. I think this story is the media trying to horribilize what amounts to pretty tame stuff.

Did you notice that this story was on FOX???

[Risible]

Originally Posted by Wayne_Zitkus

Did you notice that this story was on FOX???

Actually it's AP. I did see it on a crawl on MSNBC earlier today.

[QtPatooti]

At first glance on the headline, I thought this might be about the Fema/Katrina trailers that were deposited in an Arkansas field - some of which might still be sitting there rotting. Whatever happened to all of those? Anyone know? I did a websearch and didnt get any immediate results.

[Zandoz]

I've thought for a long time that FEMA needs to get out of the trailer business anyway. Instead of trailers, they should be contracting for intermodal cargo containers....those big steel standardized dimension and transport method boxes that get hauled on trucks, trains, boats, and even some on cargo plains. They are designed to be weatherproof and to take a serious beating. There are surplus ones all over that could be converted to emergency shelters, kitchens, medical units, generators, refrigeration units, communications units, water purification units, command centers, etc. All easily stored in any open field. Some could even be stored right on train cars in any of the abandoned rail yards around the country, for even quicker emergency deployment. They could quickly be deployment anywhere in the country, by what ever means of transportation that can get them where needed. They are designed to be stacked multiple high, so with portable stair units they could be stacked into multi story complexes with a small footprint...just about any parking lot would do.

[QtPatooti]

Zanny for FEMA Director!!!

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by QtPatooti

Zanny for FEMA Director!!!

To borrow and mutilate part of a famous speech.....

I shall not seek, and I will not accept the nomination of my friends for any term as your ______ (fill in the blank)

[snuggletiger]

Zanny: Props on a good LBJ Impersonation

As for the post, We should be applauding its only been a few years and now our big "lets help everybody" government might actually get involved. Only took 3 years and thousands of ruined trailers before OMG the Democrats in the House want to hold a hearing, forget taking action. Lets just talk about it and see if we can score some photo ops and poll numbers.

[Zandoz]

Ummmm...the headline grabber is a Republican.

[snuggletiger]

Democrat/Republican, behind every partisan politician is a greedy shyster at heart.

[chickadee]

If the trailers do pose health risks, that's even more ammunition for the parishes to kick out the remainder of the FEMA trailers. They'll say they are doing it at the Fed's request, because the trailers are unsafe. There's a lot of people who won't have a place to go then. If the trailers have health risks, I want to be assured that there's going to be another trailer for folks to move into, if they decide that they need it.

Also, they shouldn't be worrying about formaldehyde. Mold is the real problem because it's so humid there and many of the trailers leak.

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by chickadee

If the trailers have health risks, I want to be assured that there's going to be another trailer for folks to move into, if they decide that they need it.

That's part of my problem with this whole headline grab...there are no alternative trailers. The materials used in those trailers, and all but very rare custom built high dollar units, are all the same. Remove all the foam materials, composite boards, synthetic upholsteries, carpet, etc from just about any trailer in the past 30 years or more, and about all you'll have is a frame.

(Former owner/operator of BC's RV Repair & Sales, back in the 80s)


PS: If any of you have or have had a car from the 70s through early 90s, and had a problem with a persistent and quick developing kind of oily film on the inside of the windows, guess what that is from.