CDC Confirms Dangerous Levels of Formaldehyde in a Third of FEMA Trailers
February 15, 2008
The CDC said about a third of the FEMA trailers it tested have dangerously high levels of formaldehyde — so high that it said they should be vacated as soon as possible. The CDC tested a random sample of 519 trailers and the results provided a fairly accurate snapshot of the living conditions faced by the 144,000 people housed in trailer and mobile homes provided to those without homes after hurricanes Rita and Katrina by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
At a press conference, CDC Director Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., said levels in the trailers were high enough to produce symptoms such as runny noses, coughing, and even difficulty breathing — especially in people who have chronic conditions such as asthma or COPD.
Learn More: MedPage Today
Popularity: 70% [?]
FEMA’s Formaldehyde Containing Trailers
February 15, 2008
After downplaying the risks for months, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday it will rush to move Gulf Coast hurricane victims out of roughly 35,000 government-issued trailers because tests found dangerous levels of formaldehyde fumes.
FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said the agency hopes to get everyone out and into hotels, motels, apartments and other temporary housing by the summer, when the heat and stuffy air could worsen the problem inside the trailers.
“The real issue is not what it will cost but how fast we can move people out,” he said.
Popularity: 71% [?]
