FEMA Trailers Pose Threat To Kids’ Health

Hurricane Katrina Fema Health problems feared for kids who lived in FEMA trailers.

by Associated Press

Published: Wed, May 28, 2008 - 5:45 am CST Last Updated: Wed, May 28, 2008 - 5:49 am CST

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (AP) - Doctors fear tens of thousands of
children who lived in FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina could
have lifelong health problems.
The trailers -- up to 143,000 of them -- may have formaldehyde
fumes up to five times the safe level. Formaldehyde is classified
as a probable cancer-causing agent, and kids are believed to be at
particular risk.
One young mother, whose 15-month-old daughter was born while the
woman was living in a trailer, says her little girl has persistent
breathing problems. She says she never would have stayed so long in
the trailer if she'd known the risk.
The formaldehyde was detected in the trailers when they were
sent to the Gulf Coast in 2006. But there was no push to get people
out of them until this February.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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the inquiring mind Says:

Wed, May 28, 2008 at 7:06 am

I’d like to know where you got your numbers. All the reports I’ve seen show the formaldehyde levels higher than the levels associated with a regular house but about 1/10th the level condidered dangerous. Thats right even your house and car have formadehyde.
While its tragic one little girl out of 143,000 has asthma, its not right to cause public panic by printing sensationalist journalism like this. Now every person who got a “free trailer” on the taxpayers’ tab is going to want a free house or millions in compensation for a problem started by the press to begin with.