Politics As Usual
Shining a Light on Power and Policy
Tom Shine covers congressional politics for ABC News.
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"PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!!"
July 09, 2008 10:48 AM
It was March 2006 and according to a report put together by investigators working for Democrat Henry Waxman, occupants of Fema trailers were starting to complain. One urgently asked GULF STREAM, the maker of the vast majority of FEMA TRAILERS deployed after Katrina, for help. "There is an odor in my trailer that will not go away. It burns my eyes and I am getting headaches every day. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!!"
Fema was starting to get concerned as well. Again according to the Waxman Report, a FEMA official sent Gulf Stream's co-president, Dan Shea, an e-mail. "does your field staff have the capability to PUT THIS TO BED?" Mr. Shea told the Fema official: "I will send a person down...to test the units."
The committee document says GULF STREAM tested 50 trailers including 11 that had people living in them. Gulf Stream tested trailers they made and also some of those made by other manufacturers. EVERY OCCUPIED TRAILER tested showed FORMALDEHYDE concentration levels ABOVE 100ppb, "the level at which CDC, EPA, WHO, CPSC, and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and health say ACUTE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS CAN BE EXPERIENCED." FOUR of the 11 occupied trailers had levels ABOVE 500ppb, "the level at which federal occupational safety regulations require MEDICAL MONITORING FOR WORKER EXPOSURE." In over 20 UNOCCUPIED trailers the formaldehyde levels were ABOVE 900ppb, a level at which "EPA says it is dangerous to be exposed for more than EIGHT HOURS IN A LIFETIME." Several trailers had readings ABOVE 2,000ppb.
Congressional Investigators say GULF STREAM did NOT WARN trailer occupants, "did NOT TELL FEMA it had found elevated levels of formaldehyde in occupied trailers or warn Fema NOT TO PLACE FAMILIES IN ITS UNOCCUPIED TRAILERS." GULF STREAM did send FEMA a letter offering to share its test results, but according to the report, FEMA apparently never pursued that offer.
Waxman's staff says one maker of trailers that FEMA used, KEYSTONE, decided it had to REVISE it's OWNER'S MANUAL following all the bad news about formaldehyde levels. In September 2006, KEYSTONE told its customers that "new trailers were expected to OFF-GAS FORMALDEHYDE resulting in a STRONG ODOR and CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY." The manual went on to say that Formaldehyde is a "NATURALLY OCCURRING SUBSTANCE and it is NOT a defect in your recreational vehicle." KEYSTONE told its customers to use proper ventilation.
Today, trailer maker CEOS from GULF STREAM, KEYSTONE, PILGRIM, and FOREST RIVER are being called before Rep. Henry Waxman's oversight and government reform committee to do some explaining.
July 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (2)
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These trailers should provide a clean, well maintained temporary housing during an emergency. Temporary. Not for years and years. Temporary. Clean them up but stop allowing people to live in them forever. That's how they become disgusting. The people who live in them for years don't take care of them. They expect free housing from the government and maid service to boot on my tax dime. Temporary! For emergencies only.
Posted by: mPCT | Jul 9, 2008 11:04:17 AM
Several years later, I wonder if pregnant women who may have been exposed will required special healthcare?
Posted by: m l b | Jul 15, 2008 2:22:26 PM
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