FEMA Announces They Won’t Use Trailers
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that they won’t be using FEMA trailers that could be seen following Hurricane Katrina because of major safety concerns, officials said.
Channel Four’s Anne Marshall reported that a couple days ago, FEMA admitted that trailers used after Katrina contained the toxic chemical formaldehyde, and it was making many sick.
Since then, there’s been reports that some of the same kind of trailers may be ventilated, tested for the chemical and sent to Tennessee if they were determined safe, but that’s not the case.
In several Tennessee counties, the road to recovery has hit rush-hour.
“As long as getting some traffic flow in here, we’re going to stay here as long as needed,” FEMA spokesman Ed Conley said.
At disaster recovery centers, finding victims shelter remains the top priority, officials said.
One option used after Katrina is not an option here, Conley said.
“We’re not going to use this in this disaster or any disaster ever again,” he stated.
Conley said the formaldehyde problem discovered on the Gulf Coast has officials in Tennessee trying to come up with other ways to shelter storm victims, like motels or HUD housing, while mobile homes have been discussed.
So far, none are headed this way, officials said.
“There’s just not a lot of available housing resources,” Conley said.
With so much damage in rural places, finding empty, affordable housing has been a struggle. Billy Sawyer lost his home in rural Hickman County due to the tornadoes.
“Walls leaning in, and the rain came and finished off what the wind didn’t take,” Sawyer said of his house.
He said he’s temporarily staying in a camper until he gets his FEMA grant money. He said he wants to rebuild quickly, and FEMA said it hopes many will follow his lead.
“Maybe they can take that — get started on recovery,” Conley said.
Sawyer said he’s been on the road to recovery for days, and he’s still not sure when he will get home.
“It seems like still Tuesday. No rest for the weary, I guess,” Sawyer said.
The trick for him now, he said, is to get the grant money from FEMA.
Officials said money is flowing, and they have already giving out $1 million in aid, and 1,300 families are registered for assistance.
Victims of the storms who still need assistance should call 800-621-FEMA (3362).