"50 FEMA Mobile Homes Headed to California"

by Shelley Bluejay Pierce
( wahela9@yahoo.com )

for Native American Times

November 6, 2007

San Diego, California- FEMA confirmed to Native American Times yesterday that 50 mobile homes from storage areas in Hope, Arkansas are on their way to aid fire victims in California. Raging wildfires have left hundreds homeless with estimates for total losses being in the millions of dollars. President Bush has declared this a disaster area in order for federal funding and relief efforts to begin flowing into the devastated areas.

FEMA Public Affairs representative, Alexandra Kirin, explained, "Mobile homes are a readily available housing option that FEMA has at our disposal to address the emergency housing needs of disaster victims when there are no other available housing resources. The Federal and State Joint Housing Task Force (JHTF) developed a Joint Housing Strategy which incorporates the housing options identified by FEMA's Joint Housing Solutions Group (JHSG). The JHSG is an established team of experts formed after Hurricane Katrina to identify alternate housing solutions. They are working to identify and recommend potential housing units that may serve an alternative."

During times of extreme disasters, the public depends upon the federal governments' fast response for needed food and water supplies, medical aid and funding so that residents of the area can recover as quickly as possible.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita offered severe testing grounds for FEMA and other agencies responsible for emergency response. Over the many months following the hurricanes hitting the gulf coast region, accusations of inadequate handling of the disaster have surfaced from all sectors of the stricken communities.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman heard details at a House Oversight Committee hearing where the negative health effects caused by formaldehyde in some of the FEMA supplied trailers and mobile homes became evident. Now the same FEMA mobile homes that gave shelter to hurricane victims are coming out of storage lots in Hope, Arkansas and headed to California.

In testimony given before the committee, Lindsay Huckabee, a FEMA mobile home resident in Mississippi, detailed how formaldehyde exposure left her family trying to cope with health problems and high medical bills. Detailed scientific data was supplied by Mary DeVany regarding formaldehyde exposure confusion arising from many governing agencies all placing different exposure limits upon formaldehyde.

The Department for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) states on their website that they have "set a standard for formaldehyde emissions in manufactured housing of less than .2ppm for plywood and .3ppm for particle board. Many products are stamped to indicate compliance with the HUD standards. The HUD standards are designed to provide an ambient level of .4ppm or less in manufactured housing."

As disclosed in the House Oversight Committee hearings, The Department of Housing and Urban Development regulates formaldehyde levels in mobile homes and other prefabricated dwellings, but travel trailers are not covered under the governing regulations.

Confusion has arisen for those involved in discussing the formaldehyde contamination in the FEMA provided emergency housing units due to the interchangeable use of "trailers" to refer to both the camper trailers and the mobile homes. FEMA, Director R. David Paulison, told the House Oversight Committee hearing attendees that "…the camper trailers were designed for short-term use only and not for extended living."

However, Sierra Club performed formaldehyde tests on FEMA campers and mobile homes in the hurricane region that revealed high levels of formaldehyde in both types of units, though not in all of them.

The Huckabee family complained about high levels of formaldehyde in their first FEMA mobile home. FEMA provided a second mobile home, which had been used previously in hopes that time and ventilation would have lowered its formaldehyde levels. The Huckabee family continues to live in this second mobile home that has also tested above limits for formaldehyde.

Senator Tim Johnson, (Dem. South Dakota) attempted to ease the severe need for adequate housing on Native American reservation lands by working diligently to attain the surplus FEMA mobile homes being held in Hope, Arkansas for use on his home states' Indian lands. After learning about the risks of formaldehyde in the units, Senator Johnson sent a letter to Director Paulison asking for testing on all units prior to their being delivered to reservation lands.

Senator Johnson asked in his letter to Director Paulison, "Specifically as it applies to mobile homes, what has FEMA done to ensure formaldehyde levels are safe for long term habitation? Will air quality testing be done on each mobile home before they are distributed pursuant to PKEMRA? As FEMA works with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Department of Health and Human Services to improve conditions in travel trailers, similar efforts must to be taken to ensure no related threats arise in tribal mobile homes."

FEMA has issued the following statement on their website in response to growing concern about the transfer or sale of these units, "Until FEMA has received the CDC's final results and recommendations, no recreational vehicle (travel trailer or park model) currently in FEMA's inventory will be sold, excessed, transferred, or donated to any individual or entity."
(http://www.fema.gov/media/fact_sheets/qa_deploy_sale.shtm)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) spokesperson, Charles Green, explained that, "The mobile homes used by FEMA are a bit shorter than standard mobile homes but are indeed 2 or 3 bedroom units much like standard mobile homes. The CDC has been performing formaldehyde tests that so far have centered upon the camper trailer units that are in surplus. We are in the process of organizing broader scope testing protocols now that will focus on all indoor air quality so that a wide range things will be tested in the FEMA units."

Formaldehyde testing on these units was suspended recently but according to FEMA Public Affairs representative, Alexandra Kirin, "Details were still being worked out when a National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) contractor prematurely contacted some residents to schedule air quality tests. The appointments have been postponed until these health and environmental experts finalize the testing process. NCEH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."