FEMA Protecting Itself, But Not Evacuees?

CBS News Obtains Emails Indicating Agency Prohibits Its Own Staff From Entering Toxic Trailers

(CBS)  There are still 50,000 families along the Gulf Coast living in travel trailers given to them by FEMA. Six months ago we began investigating reports of toxic formaldehyde fumes making some of those people sick. And as Chief Investigative Reporter Armen Keteyian reports, FEMA has done more to cover their own backs than help the people in the trailers. Many of the trailers are loaded with toxic formaldehyde fumes and people are still getting sick.

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CBS News has learned that while telling the residents of its trailers that it is still working on the formaldehyde problem, it appears it prohibits its own staff from even briefly stepping inside trailers once residents have moved out.

We obtained these exclusive emails that show the reason why: It is just too dangerous, Keteyian reports.

In an Oct 19 email, a worker asks if there is “any safety reason you know of that says we can't go into a [deactivated or previously used] trailer quickly to shut a vent.”

The response from the director of the Baton Rouge office, Jon Byrd, said, “the issue is formaldehyde."

Then, on Oct. 22, this final answer from FEMA's head of safety in Washington, David Chawaga: "Please reinforce … FEMA employees do not enter stored TTs until further notice..."

“They are telling their employees it’s too dangerous to go into the trailers, yet we're letting people continue to live in these trailers with excess formaldehyde levels,” said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

FEMA today told CBS News there was no directive against going inside the trailers, claiming the emails don't apply to trailers people had lived in but instead to 70,000 units now sealed in storage.

In July the head of the agency told Congress he was working quickly to deal with the toxic formaldehyde issue.

“FEMA and the CDC are scheduled to begin Phase One of a study in the Gulf Coast within the next few weeks,” said FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison.

Now FEMA says the study has been halted - not a single trailer tested.

The stated reason: the agency says it needs to identify "action levels for responding to the results."

In other words, when FEMA finds high levels of the toxic fumes, the agency still doesn't know what to do about it.

[poopusbuttus]

IT IS I!!!! POOPUSBUTTUS!!!!

At any rate, why would anyone see this as a problem? I mean, really.....FEMA has to protect itself in order to protect the citizens.

If FEMA were to live in those trailers and get sick, or perhaps die, who would take care of the citizens?

[pvperson]

They have found something to do about it, They''re transfering the trailers to California for the wildfire victems. Your doin a heck of a job FEMA!

[KLHILL]

Eliminate this useless organization, it makes the government look bad. He He....

[l8c6]

There is a difference between right wing neo con FEMA and FEMA run by true authentic public servants. The right wing has proclaimed it''s hate of government starting with mascot Reagan yet they run for government offices. Something wrong with this picture? Government will never get smaller under right wing neo con fascist rule but the numbers of americans represented by government will grow smaller and smaller.

[slipster01]

OK, you perps got all the answers. Answer this.

Why is it, that of the millions of trailers manufactured in this style, ONLY the ones given away FREE are the one people are claiming to have problems?

Are these people more susceptable to airborne contaminants? Or are they and their lawyers trying to fleece the government for more free hand-outs?

"%u201CFEMA stands confident in using travel trailers for emergency sheltering,%u201D said agency spokesman Aaron Walker. %u201C%u2026 To put it in perspective, we have almost 115,000 trailers out right now, and FEMA has received just over 20 complaints total.%u201D"

"RVIA spokesman Kevin Broom echoed Walker in saying that the gas in the trailers poses no health threat.
%u201CThe industry uses low-emitting materials, so formaldehyde has not been an issue for 15 or 20 years at least,%u201D he said.
Broom acknowledged that the high heat and humidity in the Gulf Coast could increase the rate of formaldehyde %u201Coutgassing%u201D from wood products trailers, but added that ventilation should quickly take care of any problem.
%u201CYou can get it to dissipate very easily if you just ventilate it,%u201D he said. %u201CPeople may just need to be shown how to open the windows.%u201D "

Well, there''s the problem. I guess those 20 or so people don''t know what a window is, seeing as the probably never had one one the shacks in the first place. Just teach them to open it for ventilation.

[clew37]

It isn''t the style of the trailers that''s different. It''s when they needed large amounts of them in a hurry they used sub-standard and dangerous materials. They ran out of approved material quickly, then used anything they could get their hands on to get the government buck. And do you keep your windows open in a place of high crime? I sure don''t. Anyone with pets doesn''t, anyone who worries about mosquitoes and their diseases doesn''t. Plus, you open the windows, all you get is really humid, then you get a lot of mold. I bet there are a lot cases that aren''t reported too. These are poor people, not white voters needing to reassured in time for the next election. Their areas have already been rebuilt, their storm damage removed first. All hail the mighty dollar and the easily distracted news reader.

[billpl-2009]

One word.

Bulldozers

[ioweign]

IT IS I!!!! POOPUSBUTTUS!!!!

At any rate, why would anyone see this as a problem? I mean, really.....FEMA has to protect itself in order to protect the citizens.

If FEMA were to live in those trailers and get sick, or perhaps die, who would take care of the citizens?

Posted by poopusbuttus at 07:03 PM : Nov 07, 2007

Who is now !!

They might as well be AWOL too like the Shrub and Cheney !!

[sevenveils]

Is there any relationship with Chinese products being used in the manufacture of these trailers?

[jetranger7]

OFFICIAL : I here by summons all FEMA Trailers to be loaded up and sent to The Taliban, so they can live in them ! Thats one way to get rid of the crazy Terroists, let them get sick !

[seafang]

How true Poopush*, not that anyone wants to see the occupants die. But maybe FEMA should be looking intot he companies that sold them those lemon trailers. Formaldehyde is a natural by product of some types of foam insulation, and it''s a problem well known to people who get involved in thermal insulation or boat flotation etc.

But maybe the question should be; why after two years are these people still living in those trailers? Do they expect to live on the taxpayer''s dole for the rest of their lives?

[keithle1]

Good ole FEMA. What a screwed up agency. Saw someone recently walking around with a FEMA jacket like it was a New England Patriots jacket.

Good old CBS NEWS for digging this up. I bet there is a lot more stuff we don''t know about.

We spend money like it''s air on the Iraq war. Why can''t we do something for these 50,000 people? Just
say it''s a matter of "national security."

"Security" is the buzzword these days.

[rmsdm4]

Who care''s. There are more important things like britney''s new album!!

[tburzio]

It''s not like FEMA builds trailers. They bought them the same place everyone else does, at a store. So, who builds trailers that are unsafe?

[hungry1968]

It''s been 2 years and 2 months since Katrina hit. How long are these people expecting to live in free housing? If they''re paying rent or mortgage, shouldn''t they have saved up enough money to buy a house outright by now? Or is it a case of, "It''s free housing so I''m going to stay here as long as I can until they throw me out."

[nothappyatall]

"In other words, when FEMA finds high levels of the toxic fumes, the agency still doesn''t know what to do about it. "

There''s nothing that CAN be done about it to fix it, the particle board- ALL particle board, chip board, formica countertops, carpeting, insulation etc are all made with formaldehyde, the only reason the levels are so high in these trailers is they are SMALL and closed up with little to no fresh air.
There is a big difference between a 2,000 sq ft house and a travel trailer.
Travel trailers were NEVER meant to be full time residences! they are made for weekend get-aways and short vacation trips. At most a summer vacation trip of several weeks by people who would of course be sightseeing during the day and not living in the things 24/7

The only thing the speed building did to these trailers was make them shoddier and sloppier in construction, it doesnt matter if its a $65,000 Pace Arrow or a $2800 junker, they are made with the same glues, formaldehyde, particleboard and laminated formica, the difference is the fast built trailers weere slammed together and have all kinds of cosmetic defects, poor finish, sloppy workmanship, more particleboard instead of hardwood, cheap appliances instead of the good ones, cheap $1 a yard carpets instead of $20 Dupont Stainmaster.

[oleander8]

To: RKartist

As of now, you''re only known as an irritating poster.

[hawksprings]

So RKartist,
Are you saying that it does not surprise you these days?

[lizardbate]

Why are the manufacturers of the FEMA trailer not being held responsible by FEMA and our government???? I''m sure the manufacturers got quite rich off of this government contract. Again, the American public has been taking to the cleaners!!!!!!! It appears we have another "idiot" running FEMA again who can get nothing done, but collect a fat paycheck for himself and do nothing!!!!! The American people demand better than we are getting!!!!!!

[Pocko]

I think RKartist means it doesn''t surprise him thses days. He''s being abstract, I think.

[prinzowhales]

Add to this, FEMA''s sabotage of relief efforts--sheriffs had to post guards to keep them from cutting communications lines....they held up relief supplies and generally made a nuisance of themselves. Their primary mission, if I''m not mistaken, is to help insure continuity of government.

Who would be stupid enough to keep ''Brownie''s'' agency around after its performance with Katrina?--I think their performance earned them more appropriations from Congress.

Its time to get the federal government out of our lives. We are wasting our resources on organizations like FEMA...a defense department that doesn''t protect our borders but is used for the benefit of Big Oil, Israel and Drug dealers. Since the federal government has involved itself in education, that has gone downhill...Your health?--the FDA runs on money...Merck had a drug approved, Vioxx, with which they have murdered tens of thousands of Americans... the Energy Department?--what happened there?

Go ahead America...vote for more big government next year...I can''t wait to see what FEMA does next...its like watching a retarded monkey with a revolver... what the ''ell is it going to do next?

[downtowner97]

One of the key components in nearly all trailers AND stick built homes, even high end homes, is OSB. OSB stands for Oriented Strand Board. It''s a modern day replacement for plywood made from chips instead of large peeled sheets of wood. Plywood became poor when mills were forced to use smaller peeler logs with more knots. The smaller logs also required frequent changes since each yielded less wood.

OSB contains formaldehyde in the glues used to bond all the chips within the board, and that formaldehyde evaporates off over the course of several years. Yes, it''s toxic, no, it''s not going to overcome you and kill you when you walk into a trailer. Simply opening a window or running an exhaust fan will get rid of the fumes.

There are hundreds of things you can buy at a grocery store or a home improvement store that OSHA prohibits you from being around in the workplace without all kinds of pointless precautions.

This is a non-story.

[jsilver2th]

My friend says: FEMA recently donated trailers surplus from New Orleans, LA to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota. Now you tell me is this is a form of genocide? The government has been doing this to the Native American since they began. I blame this all on the Republican party, why? well they don''t care for the minority of the USA......"

[missingamerica]

If those folks in those trailors really want any action out of FEMA, they need to trot down and re-register as Republicans.

[newsjunky5]

Formaldehyde causes cancer. Over 30 years ago they replaced it with a less carcinogenic chemical for preserving frogs that school kids dissect. When it kills you in 20 years, you won''t know what caused it.

[jerr11]

FEMA Protecting Itself, But Not Evacuees?


Sounds like another Bush outfit.

Bush and all the neocons sending other people''s kids to die for them in Iraq, while their own children party the night away (when they''re not busy pretending to be authors.)

Right Jenna!!

LOL

[alphaa10-2009]

prinzowhates said, "Its time to get the federal government out of our lives. We are wasting our resources on organizations like FEMA... Go ahead America...vote for more big government next year..."
---
You fall exactly into the presumption Bush intends-- that it is the fault of "government" that things are so FUBAR. In point of fact, Bush never has offered America a functional federal government.

From the moment he inherited a budget surplus from the previous adminstration, Bush bungled everything he touched. At base, a genetic fault-- Bush is not a model of competence or a trustworthy administrator. In a corporate environment, Bush would have been dumped long ago.

The issue is not more or less government, but intelligent, appropriate government which does exactly what the people want it to do. FEMA was too successful under Clinton-- earning high praise from the state level-- but prompting Bush and his spoils system to trash the agency with dumbo political appointees and an appendix of a budget.

[trillion1]

I''m sure they''ll be holding a "pres conference" to address this issue.

[crater7]

FEMA ( FAILED, FAKE, FALSE, FOOL, -EMA;

ADD ANY AND ALL YOU LIKE TO THE NAME, THEY ALL FIT.

ANOTHER BLUNDER OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

STAY THE COURSE IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.

WAKE UP AMERICA................

[antoniof123]

You know I have live a pretty long life and I say Nixon and that mess first hand. But this mess has by a far super seeded Nixon in fact Nixon was a wonderful compared to this bunch.

I said then that I would not vote for another Republican but after a while I gave in. Never again and I am not that old anyway. So guess what Republicans you and your ilk will remember these days for a long time.

This country is not a game that you win by one party but you have forced America to swing really hard just like it did before.

[hungry1968]

It''s been 2 years and 2 months since Katrina hit. How long are these people expecting to live in free housing? If they''re not paying rent or mortgage, shouldn''t they have saved up enough money to buy a house outright by now? Or is it a case of, "It''s free housing so I''m going to stay here as long as I can until they throw me out."

[lrader2]

Most people should know about formaldehde in building materials, its not a new problem. The answer is as easy as opening a window to get some fresh air. A bigger question should be how long are we going to give free housing to the people in the gulf area. I am sorry about their misfortune but its time to move on. I think they have had time to get a job and find their own place to live by now.

[nothappyatall]

One of the key components in nearly all trailers AND stick built homes, even high end homes, is OSB. OSB stands for Oriented Strand Board. It''''s a modern day replacement for plywood

Simply opening a window or running an exhaust fan will get rid of the fumes."

Except for one thing, stick built and higher end homes use a lot more HARDWOOD and SOLID lumber, they would have solid oak floors whereas trailers and mobile homes would have OSB floors covered with carpet. Opening a window does not remove all those fumes, the stuff outgases 24/7 for many years and chances are if you live in the snow belt your windows are sealed 6 months out of the year to keep the heat in and if you live in the South they are also sealed to keep the A/C in, both cost a lot now.
Plywood does not cost much more than OSB, I buy 1/2" CDX for around $12 and plywood doe not have nearly as much glue as OSB. OSB is almost all glue with sawdust and chips mixed into IT.

[greeneyes222]

"Now FEMA says the study has been halted - not a single trailer tested.

The stated reason: the agency says it needs to identify "action levels for responding to the results."

Isn''t that special. And just how long does it take them to do that, pray tell?

If the people living in those trailers get sick, is FEMA liable? One would think so.

This is one screwed up agency, and being put under Homeland Security hasn''t helped one bit.

[jowand]

Remember Hurricane FLOYD, Jessei Jackson didn''t

News Max
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005 1:41 p.m. EDT
1999 Hurricane Swamped Clinton''s FEMA
New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida were hit hard when Floyd slammed the coast on Sept. 16, 1999. It was the worst storm to hit the U.S. in 25 years - yet it killed only 61 people. That death toll expected to be dwarfed by Katrina.
Clinton FEMA Director James Lee Witt won high marks for hurricane preparation, but the flood that followed swamped his agency.
A full three weeks after the storm had passed, Rev. Jesse Jackson interviewed Witt on his CNN show "Both Sides Now" - and complained that flood victims were still suffering from a "misery index."
"It seemed there was preparation for Hurricane Floyd, but then came Flood Floyd," Jackson began. "Bridges are overwhelmed, levees are overwhelmed, whole town''s under water . . . [it''s] an awesome scene of tragedy. So there''s a great misery index in North Carolina."
Witt explained that the storm''s devastation was unparalleled, prompting Jackson to ask what was being done for the thousands of families left homeless by Floyd.
Though NEARLY A MONTH HAD PASSED since the storm first hit, Witt said his agency WAS JUST BEGGINING to address the problem.

[ov442]

Posted by jowand ---- So Jowand, what you are really saying is that FEMA didnt learn from a previously first-time event that caused catastrophic damage, and in fact, got worse considering the misery of the south for what...2 yrs now?

[rickcf77]

TOTAL BEEE S! I live where they make these homes. This whole story since day one is nothing but political spam!

All these houses build here are aired out for a period of time before given to the home owner. In Katrinas case this WAS NOT done because the Democrats started SCREAMING about housing so everything was built and shipped ASAP!

After the structure has been lived in the formaldehyde eventually goes away. The people who got the new unaired out homes WOULD have health problems to begin with until the formaldehyde eventually went away. All the political news stories I have seen make it sound like the formaldehyde NEVER goes away. That is NOT truth. If it was truth then everyone living in a manufactured home would be poisoned!

This (continuing) story makes it sound as if people are dying in these homes when in fact all the homes put in use months ago are perfectly safe now, espically if they have been aired out.

Only the sealed NEW homes should still have the isse - as burried at the end of the article.."FEMA today told...there was no directive against going inside the trailers...the emails don''t apply to trailers people had lived in but instead to 70,000 units now sealed in storage."

[rickcf77]

continued...

Years ago before the hippie anti-war liberals took power when I was in school I took a journalism class that class preached a basic fundimental concept of get to the TRUTH through facts. I do NOT see that in journalism any more.

It is scary because if these people turn against any individual or group like you or I then we can be ruined. Just look at the Lacrosse players. There is no accountability for the leftist journalists. Scary.

[anonbene]

The question I would like answered is which of the Presidents contributors got the no bid contract to install the toxic carpet in the first place? Finish the story, follow the money.

[forthepeopl1]

SO GO AHEAD AMERICANS BE WEAK, THIS IS COMMING....IT IS TIME FOR A REVOLUTION,TIME TO STOP BUSH/CHENEY


The violence broke out after an estimated 80,000 ant-iBUSH demonstrators - led by university students - marched peacefully to the Supreme Court to protest constitutional changes that would greatly expand BUSH/CHENEY power if voters agree to the changes in December. Unrest, if it continues, could mar a Dec. 2 referendum on the controversial reforms
The amendments being protested would abolish presidential term limits, give the president control over the Central Bank and let him create new provinces governed by handpicked officials.
The protesters demand the referendum be suspended, saying the amendments would weaken civil liberties and give BUSH AND CHENEY unprecedented power to declare states of emergency.
``Don''''''''t allow AMERICA to go down a path that nobody wants to cross , during the march to the Supreme Court.
BUSH, who was first elected in2000, denies the reforms threaten freedom. He says they would instead move AMERICA toward what he calls ``21st century socialism.''''''''''''''''
In televised comments prior to the unrest, BUSH urged ALL AMERICANS to turn out en masse to vote for the reforms. In reference to the opposition, he said: ``Don''''''''t go crazy.''''''''''''''''

SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE HER IN AMERICA, AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT...

WITH 250 MILLION AMERICANS THEY CANT KILL US ALL..TIME FOR A REVOLUTION.

[missingamerica]

With their love of the corporate world and distaste for the poor, I wouldn''t be entirely shocked to find out that this Administration orders FEMA to give all those sick children toys to generate positive PR.

Specifically, Aquabeads.

They''d accomplish two goals in the Republican creedo at once: Provide government support for a corporation, and get some disturbing pictures of sick, impoverished and underprivileged children off the MSM.

Permanently.

[gheemaster38]

shouldn''''t they have saved up enough money to buy a house outright by now? Or is it a case of, "It''''s free housing so I''''m going to stay here as long as I can until they throw me out."


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Posted by hungry1968 at 08:12 AM : Nov 08, 2007

I use to agree with somethings you say here until I did research on the situation. I have found their are hardly any jobs that would pay enough there to support buying a house. The rent is astronimically high and most people cannot afford to move because the jobs that are there dont pay enough for housing. Now, what I cant understand is this: IF the situation is that bad, why cant they find family members and just leave N.O. I know it is hard leaving the city you loved so well, but there comes a time when a person has to do what is best. I had relatives that moved in with me from what of thoses trailers and are now relocated here and doing much better then they would have in N.O. It is painful for them to give up the city they loved so well, and maybe when things get better they will move back.

[gheemaster38]

Hmmm? I am surprised this Administration hasnt sent some of those trailers to our servicemen in Iraq to live in yet. ***! I hope I didnt give them any Ideas...

[jonesforch]

I would''t move if I had free housing but I would''t *** cause that is all I got. Research google and see how many things in this world are being made with formaldehyde Spend time researching CBS then reprint the story the right way.

[wanetawr]

OK You folks just need to quit. There is no conspiracy here. There are no hidden agendas. This story is not the X-Files or something. Basically all mobile homes have the same problem with irritating fumes when they are newly built. You expect low prices, but expect the most expensive materials to be used. You want to save the trees, but want to use new virgin wood in everything. There is a price to be paid for everything. You want to live in a home much nicer than the one you had before, but don''t want to pay for it. Who should pay for it? Me, that''s who!. You want my taxes to pay for you to live somewhere for free while you gripe and complain about the free place. STOP LOOKING A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH!!!

[wanetawr]

The bottom line here is that the journalists have to dig out every possible shred of a story to stay in business. I think we have too many reporters and not enough stories to go around!

[jonesforch]

made with formaldehyde
Posted by jonesforch

Just to name a few (wonder on may of these people use these products) Cigarettes,Soap,Perfume,some seeds and roots of plants to produce more,Postage Stamps...I could go on and on...so I would guess most of us posting including the writer of this story has and still does use one or all these things in everyday life.

[wanetawr]

By the way Katie Couric, why is it the government''s job to move these people out to somewhere else? I guess you think we should build each of these families a brand new $100,000 home in a nice location, completely furnish it, stock it with food, give them new cars, pay them welfare, and put their kids through college. All the while, we have to listen to them gripe and complain as they sit on their lazy butts and watch soap operas, (or porn on their new government funded computers) that they are being mistreated because they came from minority neighborhoods. It''s so sad because there really are a few people in the group that are trying hard to take care of themselves. I have been to visit in these trailer parks and mostly they are just small relocated versions of the neighborhoods that these people lived in before Katrina. The drugs, fighting, cheating, abuse, robbery etc.. that were in their neighborhoods before, are there again. Only now the government is paying for even MORE of that lifestyle than they did before!

[nananora]

well seventeen years ago I bought a double-wide manufactured home, that was loaded with formaldahyde and I did not know it, first I start coughing and could not control it, but now I am still alive, well, and still live in the same home, so quit griping and get a job and move some place else, if you are not happy with what you got for FREE... AND still have for free.

[jonesforch]

mitchoncbs

Exactly!!!