Should FEMA Sell Tainted Katrina Trailers?

[Ken]

Should FEMA Sell Tainted Katrina Trailers?

Idiots. Even thinking of selling these things is pure lunacy. Without a doubt, many would ultimately be used as dwellings.

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...ina-trailers/1

[Rick]

This is an interesting story with a long history. There are a couple of trailer factories in the north part of the state that made those and a LOT of folks in Indiana were hauling them. A couple of my neighbors were taking them down south. The first ones that were purchased were good quality trailers. Dealerships throughout the Midwest had them on their lots for sale. The government called each of the dealerships and purchased everything they had then contracted the two factories to turn them out as quickly as they could. I guess I don't have to go any further with that.

The agreement with the Trailer Manufacturers Assoc. was the government would not sell them for housing once they were finished with them. The TMA didn't want a glut of used trailers to flood the market and drive prices down. The original plan was to destroy them. Of course, people stayed in them far longer than anyone had envisioned so many of the manufactured problems came to light. And thousands sat empty waiting to be used. So when someone finally opened the doors on any of them the smell of formaldehyde was overpowering.

FEMA, where quality is job one. No, that doesn't fit.
FEMA, Sharp Minds, Sharp Products. Nuhuh.
FEMA, Let's Make Things Better. Nope.
FEMA, How Do You Spell Relief? I don't think so. I'll keep working on a slogan.

[Pal334]

Duuuuh: "The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has deemed them unfit to live in"

Other than they are unhealthy, apparently violate the purchase agreement, why take on the long term health liability? seems to be a no brainer. Burn them down!

[pete lynch]

I say burn 'em.
They weren't meant for permanent living.

[Winnie]

Being a real dolly here, but why are they tainted with Formaldehyde? And as they are, why on earth were people living in them in New Oleans?

[crashdive123]

Being a real dolly here, but why are they tainted with Formaldehyde? And as they are, why on earth were people living in them in New Oleans?

Formaldehyde in its liquid form is used in the manufacturing of quite a few products. The glues that bind together plywood or press board often contain formaldehyde. It's actually used in quite a few products as a preservative. The formaldehyde will then off gas, or vaporize. If the levels of formaldehyde that were used in the manufacturing process of whatever is now off gassing were too high, then it becomes a dangerous airborne contaminant. I'm not sure why the levels of formaldehyde were so high in the manufacturing of these trailers - seems like the quality control processes broke down during the rush to get them out.

It is/was not only the people of New Orleans, but many from the Gulf Coast area following Hurricane Katrina. They were intended to be used as temporary emergency housing for those that lost their homes during the storm.

[Winnie]

Ah thanks Crash, I know the dangers of formaldehyde, I just didn't know the application in this instance.

[Rick]

According to a Washington Post article back in 2007, the average cost to purchase these trailers was $18,620 each.

Winnie - This will give you an idea of what it looked like.

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Here are some awaiting disposal. Believe it or not, these were dragged from the Gulf Coast to just outside Cumberland, MD. This is just 1000 of the 100,000 purchased.

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You all may be surprised to learn the current administration is proposing to send these trailers to Haiti. Yep.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ers-for-haiti/

[Camp10]

There were dozens of these for sale down in Auburn at the mall last summer. I didnt go to look at them but from what I could see driving by, they had little or no windows. I was told the price by a co-worker that stopped to look but I really cant remember...it was cheap. I remember thinking at the time that you could probably gut them and re-do the inside for much (much,much)less than if you were to buy a new one.

[nell67]

Anyone bought a new mobile home recently????

The double wide I had set up after my house burned,came with a warning poster hung inside that stated formaldehyde was used in the building process,and yes,you could smell it.

[LowKey]

Almost all plastic-laminate wall panels, carpets, fiberboard building materials and kitchen floor tiles use Formaldehyde in the manufacture process. All of those things have non-formaldehyde counterparts. But guess what? They cost more.
The government should abide by the builder's contract and destroy them or break them down into component parts and recycle, rather than burning.
Or determine the time to offgas. It does go away eventually if not enclosed and reabsorbed.

[Justin Case]

I dont get it ? They are newer trailers,, I think FEMA may have meant that they are not fit to live in Perm. ? I would love to have one , Much better than being homeless, (which is a reality I may be facing soon ) , I WISH I had one,,

[Ken]

Guardian News of the UK has several pretty pictures that show the trailers and depict mold and several other "problems."

There are 10 more pics here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gall...49135&morepage

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[Justin Case]

Well Now THATS pretty disgusting ,, did the people just ruin them ? again, I may be living in the bushes soon, I couldn't "buy" one, But I would like to have one, I would clean it up,

[Ken]

,, did the people just ruin them ?

All I can say is that there's no way my kids would ever sleep on something like that when a lousy quart of bleach and some water would clean it up, even if only for one day.

[Justin Case]

There isn't any carpet on the floor? weren't those trailers new when they brought them in ? doesnt make any sense, they must have been flooded or something, Lots of people live in RV trailers .

[Ken]

There isn't any carpet on the floor? weren't those trailers new when they brought them in ? doesnt make any sense, they must have been flooded or something, Lots of people live in RV trailers .

The UK Guardian News picture captions state that many of the trailers also leak and have mold problems. Look at the blinds and the couch in the second pic. It may have been necessary to rip the carpet out.

[Justin Case]

Yes, The plywood on the floor even looks wet.

[Ken]

If the things were gutted, they could be used as storage sheds.

If they get sent to Haiti, we'll be crucified by the international community, and probably rightfully so. That would be a first........

Here's an idea......... Alaska is 586,412 square miles. We could saturate the state with emergency weather survival shelters - one for every 5.86 square miles - and float weather ballons in the air to mark their locations. We could stock each one with a few supplies and some heating fuel and some tequilla and vanilla creamer. We could put Sourdough in charge of the program........

[Justin Case]

Sound like a good plan, Please put at least One of them here on the river