La. Gov. Updates Dangers to FEMA Trailers

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has released the following statement in response to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) announcement that they have discovered high levels of formaldehyde in FEMA trailers in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast:

“Almost a year ago, I called for congressional hearings to investigate whether Gulf Coast hurricane victims were allowed to live in FEMA trailers and mobile homes with dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. I directly asked FEMA Administrator David Paulison why it took the agency more than a year to act on the complaints they had received from residents suffering from health problems in these trailers. “It is simply inexcusable for FEMA to have a one to two year delay in addressing the serious health issues of these men and women along the Gulf Coast who have already suffered from the devastation of the 2005 hurricanes. When the health of our people and our children and our families is at stake we cannot afford to wait, we cannot decide that we have to do more studies and conduct further analysis. The federal government must act. “FEMA’s announcement today that trailer residents should leave as soon as possible and especially before the ‘weather warms up’ in the summer and further increases formaldehyde levels is serious and it should be taken seriously by everyone. However, the incredible delay in taking this action has most likely elevated the negative health impact of high formaldehyde levels on trailer residents and this reality should be met with an aggressive response. “I am calling on the federal government to fulfill its obligation to Gulf Coast residents living in emergency housing and address the effects of their prolonged exposure to high levels of formaldehyde. The contamination of these FEMA trailers is no longer in question. Now it is time for the federal government to act and ensure residents living in these trailers are given the medical treatment they may need. “I am also calling on the federal government to provide more details on its plan to relocate these up to 36,000 residents currently living in emergency housing along the Gulf Coast. It is imperative that there is a system in place that not only provides the necessary funding for these individuals to afford alternative housing, but also works to coordinate their move and immediately connect them to housing options. The federal government must provide adequate housing and medical treatment as soon as possible. These people have already been the victims of a natural disaster, and now they are the victims of a manmade disaster.“The time for studies, research, disagreement and debate is over. Now it is time to provide the residents of these trailers and temporary homes with the medical attention they need and the alternative housing they require. Nothing short of aggressive and immediate action is acceptable.”