Some travel trailers issued to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are emitting potentially dangerous levels of formaldehyde, an industrial chemical used in their manufacture which some residents say is making them sick.
In Mississippi alone, FEMA has received 46 complaints from people who say they have been affected by symptoms of formaldehyde exposure, including eye, nose, and throat irritation, nausea and breathing difficulties. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, formaldehyde has been found to cause cancer in rats and may cause cancer in humans.
The Sierra Club conducted tests of 31 FEMA travel trailers and found that 29 of them had unsafe levels of formaldehyde, according to a report (PDF) published on the group’s Web site.
What do you suppose FEMA is doing about it? First off, they really don’t think it’s a problem in the first place.
“It’s the ‘new car smell,’” said Charles Powell, who has been with Beaumont’s [Texas] FEMA office since October, adding he isn’t aware of any complaints about the air quality in their travel trailers. — Beaumont Enterprise
So they’re going to do more testing. FEMA plans to test indoor and outdoor levels of formaldehyde at several unused travel trailers.
FEMA spokesman Aaron Walker said agency director R. David Paulison wanted to do what was in the best interest of hurricane victims.
“They came to the decision … of victims first,” Walker said. “We want to make sure our residents feel comfortable.”
Walker said the agency couldn’t verify the Sierra Club findings “to make sure their testing was done adequately or correctly.” He said the Environmental Protection Agency will handle the sampling for FEMA. — Associated Press
In some cases, FEMA is replacing travel trailers with ones that aren’t giving off noticeable levels of formaldehyde.
For the next several months, FEMA recommends that people in travel trailers air out the trailer frequently, use air conditioning and dehumidifiers, and not smoke in the trailers.
Maybe this is why hundreds of trailers remain empty and the press isn’t allowed to talk to people who live in them.
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Tropical WeatherLast week, in the wake of another uptick in the official unemployment rate, the administration continued to claim that their economic policies were working, just not fast enough. Not only does the administration have a funny way of ending a war, but now they claim their economic policies are successful. For whom, I wonder?
Gardner Goldsmith teams up with Brett Veinotte, of the excellent School Sucks Project and the School Sucks podcast. Gard and Brett discuss the impetus of the series and project, and why public education must be stopped.
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Oliver Crangle
Aug 10, 2006
These people get a free place live and they still aren’t happy…
Michael Hampton
Aug 10, 2006
I would imagine that if your free place to live was making you sick, that you wouldn’t be too happy about it either. :)
Oliver Crangle
Aug 10, 2006
They can sleep in a tent or on the street or in a cave then…
Or take some responsibility for themselves and get a job and rent/buy a place that suits them.
Isn’t that what a good libertarian would do instead of whining about the smell of their government provided free house???
Michael Hampton
Aug 10, 2006
Ah, you are quite right, though I think you missed my point: that the government can’t even deliver a proper travel trailer. :)
MAIKO HENRIQUEZ
Aug 16, 2006
my mother and i have developed asthma-like symptoms and we are afraid of any other repercussions living in these trailers will have in the future. we got out of the formaldehyde trailer as soon as we started feeling sick. the government or fema should put a warning label on the door: “warning may be hazardous to your health”. i was very grateful to get a trailer and a place to live in temporarily, but not if it will kill mw in the future. i would rather live in the street.
JULIA DESPRES
Sep 06, 2006
WHAT CAUSING TO BE ILL FRO FEMA TRAILER??
mindy badeaux
Sep 10, 2006
Mr. Crangle, I live in a fema trailer in my front yard and have since October 30. I had three feet of water in my home and I am the single mother of four children. On the day Katrina came I was notified at the hotel I was staying in, and was told me my husband and father of my children was killed in Iraq. Then I come home and find everything we had work for was destroyed, baby pictures, wedding dress, furniture, and everything that reminded me of the husband I will never see again was gone. I by myself gutted one room cleaned the floor and set up a bed for my kids and waited for a trailer, that I was very thankful to get. Oh at this point I think I should mention that my son (the baby) has lung diease, I was so scared he would get something from the house that when the trailer came we moved right in. As soon as we moved in the baby got sicker and sicker, I thought it was just his lungs acting up, then the other kids got sick, then I got sick, we heard about the problem with the trailers in May and moved out of ours in a week, I emptied the saving and fixed our home. Everyone started feeling better after we moved back in the house execpt the baby, he now has permanent damage and may never get better. So Sir when you prejudge EVERYONE who got a FEMA trailer I hope you now think about the bigger picture, and tell me this f you were told, hey your house got destroyed and we will give you a place to live but might get cancer or just not be able to breathe from it…would you want yourself, your mother, your kids living in it????
mwilliams
Sep 28, 2006
I know about this “toxic trailers” as my wife was exsposed to the chemical formaldehyde in horse trailers /with camper style living quarters , she a al almost died twice and is still dealing with the effects every day,if any
one has horses you had better have the trailer tested before you buy or
you oculd be in for a rude awakening, not only will you be subject to
the chemical vapor or fumes, your animals will be also and they can`t
tell you whats wrong with them, and the people who build & the people
who sell them WILL NOT HELP YOU, trust me my wife and I know first
hand , they all claim that there trailers are toxic chemical free, well
have your trailer tested and see what you come up with.
You , your kids, your pets, and any other animal, exsposed to this
could be in danger of being sick or God forbid maybe worse, my wife
and I are taking this one day at a time without the help of “(our
previous employer) or the people who build the “Toxic Tin Cans” but in
the end it will all come out in the wash.
mwilliams
Sep 28, 2006
The person that made the comment” free place to live & still aren`t
happy” needs to be in one of those trailers for 1 day at 100 degrees and see what he thinks about the burning eyes, nose bleeds, and closed airway when
the allerigic reaction some people can have causes them to shut down
and have to be transported to the er TWICE! when that happens lets
see what you say about it.
Anonymous
Nov 22, 2006
I can not believe that some people feel they have to say mean words to
folks already having a very hard time. Trailer have always been know to carry too
many formaldehyde fumes. Why are some Americans so hateful to everyone else.
How spoiled of a country we must be if some spew hate without even thinking first
what it would be like suffering a loss like everything they own. Shame on the the folks who think that they are above others. It is not our place to judge
anyone.
Barbara Weaks
Nov 25, 2006
I would love to know if anyone out there makes a chemically free pop up camper or any type of camper. I will never purchase the existing ones because of the chemicals.
Chemical Injury
Dec 10, 2006
I was subjected to formahldehyde in the workplace and am now permanently disabled due that exposure. This is a serious matter that needs remediation. See the MSDS sheet at this link:
http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/MSDS/formaldehyde.htm
The people who are living in these trailers are being subjected to toxic chemicals. It is a well known fact that this type of housing off-gasses chemicals. In the 1970s, it was found that Urea Formahldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI) (and other materials) were off-gassing into mobile homes and causing the occupants to be ill. Bruce M. Small’s book, “The Susceptibility Report,” notes that, “Some patients develop widespread food and chemical susceptibilty after UUFI exposure without apparent history of susceptibilty due to prior exposure. Some develop this over months, some over four to five years.” Exposures to other materials off-gassing formahldehyde have been found to have similar effects. Modular homes are generally required to have a warning label on them in regard to these types of chemicals. It is likely that there are other chemicals that are also present. New carpet is notorius for off-gassing many chemicals including benzene, dichloroethane, and many other chemicals. The majority of carpet and flooring adhesives are also known to be toxic. Glues and particleboard also are known sources of inhalant chemicals.
One technique to expedite the off-gassing and decrease the total chemicals in one’s living environment is to “bake out” the structure. THIS IS TO BE DONE WHEN THERE ARE NO OCCUPANTS/PETS, ETC. IN THE UNIT. Heating the unit to temperatures of 80+ degrees (it is generally recommended that you get it to at least that temperature) will expedite the off-gassing of chemicals. Close all of the doors and windows and heat the unit for several hours. After this has been done, open all of the doors and windows and use fans to ventilate the unit very throughly. From what I have read on this, it is recommended that this be done anywhere from several days to a week.
Ozone treatment may also expedite off-gassing (and this also needs to be done when the unit is unoccupied), but this should be done by someone who is trained/i.e. knows how to do this.
Other things that may be helpful to residents:
*Chemicals have a synergistic effect (the effect that they create is generally more than the total of their parts) so avoid introducing additional chemicals (bug sprays, toxic cleaning chemicals, etc.) into your home.
*I would not use humidifiers in these units; increased humidity is know to increase off-gassing of these types of chemicals (large numbers of houseplants have the same effect). A dehumidifier may, in fact be helpful.
*Create a sleeping “oasis” that is well ventilated and as free of pollutants as possible. This will help your body to recover from the chemical load.
Activated charcoal filters remove chemical pollutants from the air. These have been helpful for me. Ionizers are also helpful for some people.
*CIIN – The Chemical Injury Information Network may be able to provide more information for those who need it.
http://www.ciin.org/
*Generally most people has a sensitization period in which they are not having outward reactions to the chemical stressors, though their bodies are in the process of becoming sensitized. Eventually the body responds.
*Websites:
Formahldehyde and its Symptoms:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg111.html
Indoor Air Pollution:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/rediap.htm
*Books:
Staying Well in a Toxic World, by Lynn Lawson
Who’s Looking After Our Children (free book online)
http://www.healing.org/Child-TOC.html
An Alternative Approach to Allergies, by Theron Randolph
Living With Environmental Illness, by Stephen Edelson, MD
Good luck to you all.
Joanna
Jan 22, 2007
I will tell you about another area that Mississippi is using formaldehyde in Handicapped Van’s and it is causing cancer and nose bleeds,shortness of breath, weezing, need inhaler. I purchased a handicapped van in good faith and it was found thru research that it was built in Mississippi during Katrina time frame. It has been tested and found to have higher levels of Formaldehyde Poison beyond human consumption of 0.04ppm but the level would have gone higher except the meter was not made too. It was tested 3 different times and 3 different parts of season and still tested above the safety level. As for someone in the top part of your first article stated by a FEMA rep that it was like having new carpet smell. I was and still am being told by the Dealer and corp that is is new carpet even after they have seen the positive proof. I will tell anyone who wants to know also that my vehicle was brand new with only 102 miles on it. This is not FEMA fault but to explain what is happening not only in trailers but in alot of stuff coming from the flood area. We are pending Lemon Law but the trailers can not file for that.
Some of the reactions: That my family and I have already experienced with documented by physicans and all different ones for each of us.
Symptoms:
nose bleeds, cancer of the skin, headaches, blurred vision, lung problems, nasal problems, fatigue, leg and joint pain, nausea, diahhrea and constipation, reflux, shortness of breath,highly sensitive to smells now.
Anyone who would like to email me and talk contact me at :
Disabledsfcvet@aol.com subject: formaldehyde so I do not miss it and delete it accidentally.
One more comment before I post is : Anyone who wants to speak and make comments before you do remember this could be you and you do not have to be in Mississippi, or anywhere in Katrina’s path…. I wasn’t and still got it. It is unusal but it can happen. Buyer beware!!! The whole under carriage is rusted everwhere and when you but a new vehicle you assume that the parts are all new and not rusted. The motor mount and brake calipers are completely rusted. Pictures are available for proof.
John
Feb 07, 2007
Stick antiperspirant and fungally decaying fire retardant and anti-bacterial chemicals can cause insomnia, at least that’s been my experience. Inexplicable insomnia went away when these sources were avoided or managed. Trailer mattresses alone may be enough to make people sick. In New Zealand, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome cases stopped in one community experiment, when a heavy plastic sheet (not sure of the type) was put between the mattress and a clean non-chemical-affected blanket. If the toxic gases caused by fungal decay of the chemicals in the mattress can kill a baby, it would seem a safe bet it could cause insomnia, sleep apnea, and mental depression in an adult.
John
Feb 07, 2007
It was good to see this site, I was considering buying a FEMA trailer. While some of them may be okay, and I was aware of the outgas toxin potential, hearing of the problems has turned me away. I guess if a guy wants a travel trailer he has to make his own because the industry can’t be trusted.
Brenda
Feb 24, 2007
How do you know if your trailer is toxic? Just to comment on a few of the above:
To the young mother who lost her home and to find out her husband died serving our country. May the grace of God shine on you and bless you.
To the man who thinks because you have to live in a Fema trailer, you are not working and living off of uncle sam. Until you lose your home, then have to fight the insurance, fight with SBA, fight with your mortgage, etc. My husband and I both work full time and we were very lucky not to miss one paycheck while being kept away from our city for over 6 weeks. We weren’t all born with a silver spoon…
Charles Davis
Mar 16, 2007
“Hundreds of empty trailers”… No, thousands.
Take a lookmat a trailer dump on I-59 some 10 miles south of Hattisburg, MS.
There rots millions of our tax dollars.
Keith Metz
Apr 14, 2007
Well, if we can get Congress to cut our taxes, the government won’t have so much money to waste!
They have so much money they just throw it away.
Let’s cut back so far that they have to really think hard before they spend a single dime!
Apr 25, 2007
Waste in FEMA trailer maintenace contracts - Homeland Stupidity
Jenny
Jun 20, 2007
You know, I look at you people saying we should get a job or should be back up and running by know, but I assure you that you have not been through what we have. We had water to the roof, got no $ from ANYONE except the insurance company which is a LOT less than what we need to repair our home. My husband and I have very good full time jobs and 2 children. Do you really think we enjoy living in a 25 foot trailer? But, with tuition, a house note, utilities, a car payment, and now medical expenses that isn’t is easy? We are $20,000.00 over our insurance money and have do not even have the walls up yet. The ceiling joists rotted and the roof had to be raised and ceiling joists had to be repaired. Roof had to be replced, etc… Not to mention the wait on a reliable and insured plumber, electrician, contractor, etc. You people like to sit around and criticize, but have no idea what it is really like. Yeah, the trailer is free, but while my 6 and 4 year old daughter sit in a doctors office waiting for treatments for Lung spamsms and asthma, I should be thanking the government (whom I pay taxes to) for doing this. I wish you could go through what I have. Maybe then, you would understand. Ignorance, I swear!
Robert Estep
Jul 07, 2007
Oliver hasn’t been man enough to comment since his insensitive ramblings on August 10, 2006. Well Oliver a year before Katrina some of us loss our homes to the record 4 major Hurricanes that hit Florida. Fast forward almost 3 years and WE STILL HAVE A HOME WITHOUT A ROOF. We’ve been ripped off by not one but two “reputable” builders. In addition, after living in the death trailers for this amount of time my Mom has now come down with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is being tortured with chemo therapy. I myself am feeling sicker and sicker. So don’t judge ANYONE until you’ve spent an hour in their shoes! Just thank your lucky stars that it didn’t happen to you.
kim
Jul 19, 2007
is this all campers? or only some?
Anonymous
Jul 19, 2007
Just a short comment to add to this site: I am the Joanna from #13 on this post. I can tell you that this formaldehyde poison is very serious and I suffer with breathing problems everyday. My lawyer was in my van because I refused to every go back in it and 4 days later he was rushed to the ER with chest pain and headache about to explode and he was diagnosed only becuase we found what ER he was taken to and told them to test him for formaldehyde which they did and he was postive for it. The IEG test in blood level is suppose to be low but in postive it is over 1100.
We are all over the 1100 in my family and are all suffering from this poison and my injuries are from a brand new van. A handicapped van. I would like to start a petion to ban this chemical from ever being used in these vehicles or trailers again. My son is severely handicapped already and I am not poor or got a free vehicle from the Government as to the comments of Oliver Crangle stated about people. As one person stated he should keep his opinions to himself until he walks in all of our shoes. I would like him to come to Florida and he can stand in the doorway of my van …that is all he has to do and he will get the brunt of the formaldehyde smell in his face and walk away knowing what the people who are living in it each day are getting.
Also I would like to take the time to over my condolences to Desiree Collins age 47 who passed away on Jul 2, 2007 from what they think are Formaldehyde Poison from a FEMA Trailer in LA. She died before she could finish her fight to get a class action suit going but her family will carry on that task and make everyone involved remember her name. I did not know her personally but she was a human being who died when it could have been stopped sooner.
It seems like it takes the Government to take action to slow until so many people die and then they start thinking about it. Let’s hope they listen and take care of it before more people die in the future from this. It was banned in 1982 but congress passed the law to bring it back in 1996. I want the law over turned to banning it again….please watch in the next few posts when the petition is up and running sign it.
Roy Putnam
Jul 20, 2007
In reading all of these posts, I am amazed that the effort is not doing what is necessary to correct the problem. Firstly, it is clear that not everyone is sensitive to formaldehde in the concentrations found in the trailers, For those people that are affected, provide them with a forced air activated carbon filter which will adsorb the formaldehyde as it is being emitted. I think that you will find that low concentrations of formaldehyde are irritating to many people, but are never fatal. I believe that providing filters to the people that are uncomfortable with this low concentration will be happy with the filtered air.
Anonymous
Jul 20, 2007
just wondering if the trailers made by morgon have the same problems
concerned
Jul 21, 2007
Did this problem only happen after Katrina or was there a problem in travel trailers before?
My mother lived in a travel trailer at her camp for 2 years and then found out she had lung cancer and died 25 days later.
Jul 26, 2007
FEMA ignored travel trailer formaldehyde threat - Homeland Stupidity
Ashley
Jul 30, 2007
To Oliver Crangle… I am sure these people are completely happy that they now have some place to live, but that doesn’t mean that they can just sit back and do nothing if there is a high risk they could get cancer from the FEMA campers.My family and I lived in one for quite some time though we have no symptoms of exposure. You cannot just sit back and judge these people until you have walked a mile in their shoes. It is much harder then you would think trying to live out your daily lives in such a small space.
Leonard McNeal
Aug 03, 2007
To whom it may concern:
In October of 2005, my apartment was severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma. Forced to vacate by the local fire department, I was shuffled from shelter to shelter by the Red Cross until in early December I was contacted by FEMA. FEMA offered me a temporary trailer in the Aztec lot in Margate, FL, and invited me to come interview and sign for the unit.
After the interview process and Aztec’s background check, within a few hours of taking occupancy of the trailer, one of my new neighbors approached and expressed his disbelief that I could find the trailer liveable. The neighbor, Terry, explained that a couple of days before, all of the windows and doors had been kept open to try to remove a foul odor. He said that in examining the trailer, he had been unable to remain inside for more than a couple of minutes because of noxious fumes.
I did in fact notice a bad smell, but attributed it to fresh paint or new weather sealant, and didn’t think much of what I thought was Terry’s exaggeration. I was so happy to have a place to stay that I was more than willing to tolerate what seemed to me a benign, if unpleasant, odor. Keeping the doors and windows opened helped air the place out, so it wasn’t very bad then.
It was about three months later that I noticed I was beginning to cough more often, and my eyes were getting a bit irritated. Though I thought at the time it may have been something in the air, what could I do? The trailer was the only place I had, so I purchased some surgical-type masks hoping it would relieve what was then a mild problem.
But that mild problem gradually worsened, to the point that late in 2006 I was coughing almost constantly, sometimes to the point of tears, my eyes were burning, and I was having frequent headaches. My breathing problems got so severe that I often was unable to sleep. The masks weren’t helping, the bad smell was still hanging around, and the fans that I had set up were doing no good.
In January and February of 2007 Aztec’s regular residents were leaving because the whole property had been sold. In March I actually lost my voice completely, and couldn’t communicate even in a whisper. FEMA at that point had sent letters to all of the FEMA residents in Aztec, offering to come inspect the trailers for formaldehyde contamination. But by then the trailer park was closing and our time there was so limited that there was little point in discovering a problem that was about to be taken away from me anyway.
One would think that noxious fumes strong enough to keep even FEMA’s own people at bay would have been enough to indicate there was a problem with the trailer, and the letter from the agency offering to test for contamination by this dangerous chemical clearly shows that FEMA was aware of a potential risk to our health. It’s clear that FEMA knew that this problem existed long before that letter was sent, or else the effort to eliminate the odor before I moved in would not have been made.
But not until March of 2007 did FEMA take the trouble to even offer to test for a problem. This is substance that is known to cause cancer in people, and even applying it to a person’s residence is an act of reckless disregard for human life. Neglecting to even inform the residents that they are living in a box steeped in carcinogenic chemicals is downright criminal.
Please understand that I do appreciate the massive effort it took to house and help all of those affected by hurricanes Wilma and Katrina, and I realize that without FEMA’s help I would have been homeless. But which is worse: being homeless, or living in a trailer that destroys your health and endangers your life?
Sincerely,
Leonard McNeal
Joanna
Aug 03, 2007
Just a little comment again….This is dangerous at all levels. Call an industrial Hygentist and ask them. They will inform you that you can be a severe reaction to this at any level if not treated for it. There is really no test for anyone to take for thier healthwise but for the trailer, apt, my van there are tests. Get them done. I have gotten cancer from it. I was fully healthy while serving my country until I had a problem with my heart. But my lungs fuction was fine until I was exposed to the Formaldehdye at levels of 0.04 ppm beyond human consumption by the EPA testing. This is a handicapped vehicle make in the area of Katrina in Mississippi. The manufactor is no longer making them does this tell you something that he knew that he should not be using this levels of formaldehyde in closed vehicles. They also make travel and mobile homes too. I wish people would walk in our shoes before makes judgement on someone. I have RAD’s Disease which means Ristrictive Airway Disease and it has damaged my lungs with 30% loss of function. I dealt with chemicals in the military and never had a problem with my lungs till the formaldehyde incident.
I hope that going againist one of the bigger dealerships which this one is FORD and Companion Vans in a lemon law case that has been pending for 14 months while this toxic trap of a vehicle sat in my driveway becuase they did not want it on their dealership property due to highly combustible too at higher levels over 100 degrees. I was told by FORD that it would be a liability for thier dealership so let it blow my house to smitherine instead. That is putting the words nicely for this site.
We were to ride in the vehicle for arbitration inspection and I refused for any of my family to be exposed again. So my lawyer did the riding for approx. of 10 mins. Three days latter he was in the ER with Formaldehyde Poison. Now do you beleive that anyone can be exposed at any length or amount of time and ppm’s and get sick. They did not know what was causing it but we tracked him down in the ER and ask that they treat him for formaldehyde exposure and sure enough it was just that. We are now pending another hearing for this toxic trap on Aug 15, 2007 by the State of FL Attorney General Office and hopefully this will be the end of the brand new FORD ECONOLINE 2006 E250 HANDICAPPED VAN WITH THE TOXIC POISON IN IT. I AM REQUESTING THAT IT BE DESTROYED IMMEIDATELY AND BE ABLE TO WATCH IT GO THRU THE CRUSHER SO THAT I KNOW IT WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE MARKET IN ANOTHER AREA OF THIS STATE OR ANY WHERE IN THE USA AND HURT SOMEONE ELSES FAMILY…….
KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSS EVERYONE…..WE ARE GOING TO WIN…I KNOW DEEP DOWN IN MY HEART…..
fema employee
Aug 08, 2007
hello all, hopefully this gets published, and maybe even read by a few people who dont really understand how things work. first of all let me say that i am a FEMA employee, in the “administration” department. meaning that i dont work with flood or hurricane victims directly but only provide services for other FEMA employees to do their job. and im also at a mid level job so im not to blame for the agencies shortcomings. i read articles and comments on this site from time to time and find them enlightening to a certain extent.
i was deployed to the hurricane katrina joint field office (jfo) for almost a year in baton rouge, the heart of the katrina operation. i also worked at the transitional office in new orleans from time to time and was involved in the transition from baton rouge to new orleans when all that was going on. here is something not alot of people outside of FEMA know. first of all FEMA’s failure at the beginning of Katrina can be blamed at least partially on the lack of cooperation from the louisianna local government. FEMA is a financial entity, for dispersing federal funds, not a first response agency such as national gaurd, or army or local fire dept and so on. your governor screwed the pooch bigtime by not requesting a “national incedent” prior to 48 hours of hurricane landfall……
alright, now that i am done defending FEMA its time to tell you all why FEMA continues to fail in louisianna. virtually all of the FEMA employees at both the baton rouge office and new orleans office are totally incompetent !!!! they are not regular disaster assistance employees (DAE) they are people that were hired locally at the beginning of the operation as “local hires”. mostly just to fill empty seats. FEMA has a standard operating procedure of hiring local people for meaningless tasks just as a way to jump start the economy with nice salaries even if its only for 6 months. i myself am a DAE which means that i dont live in the area but i get deployed there much like i was in the milatary, and during that time FEMA has to pay for my housing , food , rental car , flights, etc. which is quite a bit of money, more than my meager salary thats for sure. so FEMA decided to convert these local hires to TEMPORARY FULL TIME government employees or what they call (CORE). complete with benefits , retiremnt plans and a contract , anywhere from 2 to 5 years. and at an average of 50k a year for a salary these are nice jobs considering most of these people dont have any experience or education. so FEMA tries to teach them easy, specific tasks that they perform regularly, such as answering a phone and taking applicants info, or running a slide show at a meeting, or making coffee, or whatever – but they have to keep it very simple because to be quite honest, these people are extremely under-qualified for their respective positions and salary. with most not havign any college at all and about half never graduating high school. just the bare minimum to do their jobs.they dont have any real decision making power or abilty because of their limited time and ability. they also have no credibilty because of the way they were hired. virtually the entire IA – individual assistance – division is made up of these people with no experience, limited training, and absolutely no idea of what to do in the case of a real emergency such as the Formaldehyde issue they have no real ability to do anything except what the people in whashington tell them to do, and to the people in whashington, the problem is too far removed to be considered immediately threatening especially right in the middle of hurricane season. FEMA has, until it was cannibalized by DHS, an on the spot agency. DHS has stripped FEMA of all its abilty to actually help the people that need it, and fix its own problems because its now enveloped by this juggernaut of stupidity with more security and red tape and procedure than is required to get the job done, not to mention fat bloated salaries of the higher ups who simply dont give a shit about people living in an area affected by a disaster only what they consider to be “terrorism”. combine that with the incompetence on the local level like you have at the baton rouge and new orleans offices and it spells a recipe for disaster after disater.
if this were to get posted and someone inside the agency were to read it and find out it was me , i would be fired immediately. at that point i would start to reveal secrets about the saint gabriel morgue, outside of baton rouge, you guys dont wanna know what i know…………3500??? try 10,000….
Yolanda Carbin
Aug 09, 2007
My name is Yolanda Carbin and my daughter was effected by this problem. My daughter wasn’t even a year old and from 1month old my baby kepy coughing,wheezing, just sick all the time and she took sick all of a sudden one day really sick barely responsive I can’t put everything in here ,but I can tell you this 95% of the syptoms mydaughter had and still have comes from this and I’m sure of it! My whole family stay in a trailer and they also have these problems my mother took sick last night my brother,my nieces,nephews,stays with these flu like symptoms. Anyone who is concerned contact me at my email or call 337-371-0125 I have a lawyer handling the case now. Whoever is out there you are not alone speak up to save lives!
Sam Hill_27
Aug 12, 2007
Research conducted at NASA by Dr. B.C. Wolverton has documented that certain houseplants purify indoor air and clean it of toxins including formaldehyde, especially in enclosed areas like house trailers.
Wolverton has written a book titled “How to Grow Fresh Air – 50 Houseplants that Purify your Home or Office.” Many of these plants are easy to grow with minimal care, while they quietly filter out the poisons in the indoor air.
I’m surprised that nobody in the news has been reporting on this, as it is a very easy and cheap way to protect your health without waiting for the government to do something about the problem. Wolverton has a website as well, an engineering company he started based on this research.
crystal
Aug 17, 2007
to the sick person who made the comment about a free home and still not happy.Try living in one with a family of four.My husband and I both work and pay taxes like everyone. You better hope and pray this doesn”t happen to you or your family. Its hard to rebuild when you have to build 11foot in the air. And still fighting with insurance company.
homeless
Aug 17, 2007
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA
joanna
Aug 19, 2007
Hello again from #13,22,28, and now this new one. I am not afraid to tell you all that the Arbitration Board members tried to act like they knew all about FORMALDEHYDE POISON just like any other government like FEMA Officials. They are ignorant about this toxin for sure as you can see on the video from Fox 13 new who attended my Arbitration Hearing in Tampa, Fl on the 15th of Aug 2007. and in the search area type : vans and there are several broadcasts but the hearing is there to. They stood by me thru the whole hearing and were actually shocked that they ruled in the manufactors and custom company favor.
They state right on the tape that they know what the smell of formaldehyde is becuase she used it in biology class in HS and college. If she did she should know that it is oderless until it is harmful and then you can smell it and it is too late becuase your body is already exposed. The man in the tape who is a tech expert states that he agrees that the formaldehyde is there but the levels are lower in the second testing. Yes the level was 0.4 ppm’s first test, 0.3337 in second test, 0.4 in third test, and this last test which they would not let me bring the results into the hearing were 1.9 ppm’s. I actually got a hospital badge and placed it in the van and they company wrote on the report if this had been a living space or hospital lab OSHA would have been notified by law. Becuase it was a van no one cares……….
So here I sit with my family going back and forth everyday to a different doctor for each of us too. Never the same doctors treating us always different so no conflict in information. We all go to cancer dr, pulmanary, allergist, primary, neurologist, gastro, urologist, etc. So we are not faking this toxin in our systems. There are 4 of us to coincident huh to be herdiatary since only 3 of us are related.
people have no idea what it is like until they walk in our shoes. I am sorry for anyone who has to live in the toxin becuase we were fortunate enough to only have it in our Van and not our home as far as we are aware of.
I know that I can not use any candles, air fresheners,deoderants,perfumes, polish for furniture, alcohol swabs for injuries, bandaids leave marks becuase of the adhesive now. I have had cancer in my arm cut off and now it has grown back since I still need to go near the Van to transport to the hearings. I have to get it cut out again deeper this time. I have lost 4 teeth already and more to fall out soon and will be wearing a denture soon.
My mom has just been told the cancer is in her side after having surgery on her head, hands, leg, arm. When it is going to stop ….WHEN WE ARE DEAD….AND IT IS TO LATE TO FIGHT…..
KD
Aug 31, 2007
Lets face it, the government and all of its involved agencies F***ed up big time here. The trailers are just one example, while i’m sure that those that recived trailers were very grateful, i would think that now, looking back its a slap in the face that your welfare was provided to you as cheaply as possible. Cheap housing as the expence of these peoples health is an OUTRAGE! Which as we all know is another most likely out of pocket expense(which one way or another will end up back into the hands of the government) for those who are unable to afford Health Insurance.
Don’t get me wrong, i’m not anti-government. I just believe in good will. And the only way for anyones voice to be heard is to go back to the fundamental roots of democracy, that is vote for people that represent you as an individual. because CLEARLY the people that we have elected now are more concerned with saving pennies and generating more profit then they are with the welfare of the people.
krissilow
Sep 01, 2007
CRANGLE, – OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE QUITE AN IGNORANT IDIOT, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD EDUCATE YOURSELF AND AT THE SAME TIME WORK AT DEVELOPING A TRAIT REFERRED TO AS COMPASSION.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO EVERYONE AFFECTED BY KATRINA.
Ashley
Sep 10, 2007
Most of us do have jobs. My dad has a job but he’s putting me through school. My fiance’ has a job and just bought a house, but until we can build it up we have to live in the FEMA trailer. So, the FEMA trailers are there for those who are getting back on their feet. It’s hard to rebuild a life. I have nothing. NOTHING. My dad stayed behind and saw 26 feet of water. On the roof for 3 days with NO food, water, or help. We didn’t know where he was for a week. We lost EVERYTHING. It takes time to rebuild that. So, to those of you who pray for us and keep us in ur heart, we appreciate it. To those of you who are ignorant–research and get to know us St. Bernardians lol… it’s TOUGH!
femalover
Sep 23, 2007
I’ve spent over 10 years of my life traveling with carnivals, in a culture that lives in travel trailers (LQ) full-time. Many of the people I’ve known have spent many more years than myself immersed in that culture, but never has the issue of formaldehyde been mentioned to me by anyone before. I don’t think it ever was much of an issue before. This leads me to conclude that:
1). Either the manufacturing industry, under pressure from the gov’t to crank-out 200,000 new RVs in as short a time as possible, took some shortcuts to meet the sudden demand, and used inferior materials in their construction. or,
2). An epidemic of psychosomatic illnesses are springing up in response to rumors gone out of control. (One of my duties in another life was Rumor Control, and I’ve seen the real effects that even false rumors can have on large groups of people, including physical symptoms). or,
C). When a lawsuit has been approved for class-action, a lot of “me too” victims turn up in hope of reaping some of the possible payouts, whether they are showing any symptoms or not. These me too types tend to inflate the numbers of “sufferers” and exaggerate the problem all out of proportion.
I suspect that the cause of the problem may be a combination of all of the above, but I don’t pretend to know the solution. I just hope FEMA can find a way to make things right instead of continuing to deny that there is a problem at all.
WMR
Oct 07, 2007
This issue isn’t going away. Exposure to high levels of formaldehyde can sensitize the affected person to other toxins and volatile organic compounds. Look for a class action in about five years, when a generation of affected people have had half a decade to manifest symptoms.
And to fema employee, I am most curious about your comment regarding St G abriel. Have you been fired yet? does what you referred to have anything to do with one of the d p m u units that worked s.e. LA after Katrina?? mattr@ibiblio.org, please give me a heads up…?
joanna
Oct 07, 2007
matt: I am very interested in what you have to say about FORMALDEHYDE becuase I have many problems now from the exposure level of 1.9 ppm’s in a handicapped van that is still brand new that was built in Mississippi during Katrina and it is a proven fact that it was there from Jun 2005 thru Dec 2006 and then it was being sent to CA but rerouted to Fl and now we are stuck with this poisonous van. I currently am being treated for vocal cord dysfunction (the real VCD) identified by Moffitt Cancer Center speech therapy. I just started this treatment recently. I even now have panick attacks because when you have a feeling you are not get air into your lungs from RAD disease which is restrictive airway disease you start to panick. I was fulltime military and dealt with chemicals before in gas chambers and never had a problem like I am having now since the formaldehyde levels exposure. My whole family has squalmous cell carcinoma which is a form of skin cancer. Please contact me at Disabledsfcvet@aol.com so we can talk more.
Anyone else who wants to contact us we are going to start a class action very shortly so if your interested contact me and I will keep your information available for which lawyer takes on the cases. Our’s will be againist the van co but yours can be againist the manufactor of the trailers.
take care everyone…. hope to hear from you soon…..keep fighting the cause …eventually they have to listen…..
KEN POMEROY
Oct 31, 2007
WE HAVE A NEW KEYSTONE 2007 TRAVEL TRAILER,AFTER 5 MONTHS OF USE MY WIFE HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TESTS DUE TO FORMALDEHYDE. NOW WE HAVE THIS NEW TRAVEL TRAILER IN OUR DOOR YARD AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE IT.WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO SELL THIS STUFF IF IT MAKES PEOPLE SICK? ALSO WHERE CAN ONE BUY A TRAVEL TRAILER WITHOUT THIS STUFF IN IT?.WE ARE OLDER PEOPLE AND WE HAD TO PLAN TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THIS. I CAN’T FIND ANY COMPANY THAT DOES NOT USE WOOD SOAKED IN FORMALDEHYDE. I SENT A FAX TO WHAT WAS SAID TO BE IN THE KEYSTONE OWNERS MANUAL AS (KEYSTONE RV COMPANY TEAM)BUT I GUESS THE TEAM HAS GONE TO POT. I GUESS THERE IS A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE. (ME) SEND ME AN E-MAIL WE NEED HELP. THANK YOU.
joanna
Oct 31, 2007
Ken, I am so sorry to hear that your trailer has FORMALDEHYDE IN IT. I have walked in your shoes for sure. I also know have been getting treatment for Vocal Cord Dysfunction and from the treatments for the past 8 weeks I have now got TMJ which is problems with JAW. My best advice to you is contact your state Lemon Law. Trailers are covered under that. What state do you live in? Join the chemical network and get involved too. They can tell you in the website and newsletters where to find safe trailers to purchase without wood. Can you tell us who the maufactor was? Are they still in business? Do your home work! Make sure you take it back more than 3 times for the same reason and make sure that if it is going to be repaired or they can suck the formaldehyde out of it with industrial equipment make sure you leave it on thier property for more than 30 dys. Please that is how we got hung out to dry with FORD and The van Co from Mississippi but I am still pending in the near future a liablity suit on them. You can contact a product liablity lawyer also that you would not pay them ahead of time but they do get a nice part of the settlement but if they loss you owe them nothing.
Look in the FINDLAW.com and look under lemon law attorney or product liability. Good Luck and keep in touch …I am interested in this problem alot.
My email is Disabledsfcvet@aol.com and in subject line write Homeland Stupidy or I might not see it and delete accidentally. But really check with Sierra Club in your state and Chemical Network is very good and informative.
John Tainio
Nov 07, 2007
I have technology that I believe can antidote-neutralize formaldehyde. Lets focus on helping one another.
Kim Rice
Nov 23, 2007
To all of you who referred to us as “these people”, let me tell “you people” something. First, my FEMA travel trailer was not free! I have worked three jobs at one time (while in college). I was employed then and I am employed now. I am a working middle class citizen. My home was severely damaged by Hurriacane Katrina. My lousy insurance company gave me $1,245.25 to repair my house. I contacted my Insurance Commissioner and Senator. For all of you insensitive people out there, imagine having to pay rent and a mortgage at the same time. This is the problem many Gulf Coast residents faced. Fema responded to this problem by supplying the trailers. My baby and I became sick from day one. We battled it out as long as we could. However, we eventally had to live with relatives until we could restore our home to a descent condition. I hope none of you experience this type of loss and stress.
Joanna
Nov 25, 2007
hey Kim,
I am so sorry to hear how you are struggling with your home. I agree with everything you stated too. All these people should try walking in our shoes for just one day and see if they can survive any better than we do. I doubt that very much. I think we should all write our stories and sending them to me and I will put them all together and send them to our President and ask him if he would like to drive my handicapped van or live in a FEMA trailer for a few days with Mrs Bush. I would even like to see him sit in my van for a few minutes becuase you can not even get into the van it smells so bad. I was informed that it is my fault that I have not aired it out enough before using it. It is my fault that I am sick and my family got injured too from it. It is my fault for letting it sit in my driveway for the past almost 2 yrs becuase FORD doesn’t want to take responisility for the third party conversation since they hired them. It is my fault for going to FORD in the first place instead of a reputable manufactor. It is my fault for Katrina hitting Miss and everywhere and that our Van was flooded and dried out and passed off and sold to us as brand new? Oh well no one else would take the blame so it is my fault this ever happened? That is what Companion Vans in Miss and Ford in FL are telling me and also the Lemon Law Board who ruled in the dealers favor.
I guess I am not one of the good old boys that they will take care of….But if I was a congressman or Senator they would be jumping right now….
Well I have stated my feeling again and again here…. hope it helps you all know what it like…. Most of you here have walked in our shoes in someway but the ones who have not you are welcome to come and sit in my van and then you to can say you really understand now.
Dec 18, 2007
FEMA trailer formaldehyde testing to begin - Homeland Stupidity
Anonymous
Jan 13, 2008
I just want to say, after reading other comments posted, that this is ridiculous, it is common knowledge and federally mandated that stickers with warnings be posted in products that contain formaldehyde. Manufactured homes, travel trailers, carpet, etc… all have formaldehyde used in the manufacture. You are told to thoroughly AIR OUT the space for a minimum of 24-48 hours prior to use. I lived in a manufactured home and followed the instructions on the warning stickers in the home upon purchase and NEVER had any problems. With a pretty significant population residing in such structures and I am sure almost every household in the US having carpet in their home, I think we would see a pretty significant amount of the popluation having a problem, where we don’t, I truly believe many people involved in the Katrina Hurricane and living in these, yes, free homes supplied by FEMA (maybe not forever)are just malcontents and would complain about anything. The truth is, if you don’t like your living situation in a free place to live for that last several years, than GET A JOB and stop living off taxpayers hard earned money. Struggle is a part of life, and we get no government benefits because we are competent enough to find our own way in this world. No, it isn’t easy and sometimes we have to choose between gas money to get to work or food for the week, but we make it through and that is just life!!
Anonymous
Jan 13, 2008
Also, to KIM, I think it is great you are going to college and I have known MANY single moms, BUT just because you did not take proper precautions to keep from getting pregnant at such an inopportune time of your life does not mean you are ENTITLED to any help. Sure you work, everyone has to, that is life, but at the same time FEMA did not require people to pay to live in the travel trailers. We live in a great country and should be lucky we have any such program, ie. FEMA, if you lived in another country you would just be left homeless, with NO ONE to lend a hand. As for your insurance company, well, I guess you should get a new one, or perhaps they only paid you for personal property because you didn’t have flood insurance, or perhaps you had deferred maintenance on your home? Who knows, but be honest with yourself, were you REALLY prepared for such an event (Hurricane) or are you like most of the people involved in Katrina that are just looking for MORE of a govenment handout, because you would rather leach off the system than RISE ABOVE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES!! I am SICK of hearing about Katrina “Victims,” you, like MANY other people survived a natural disaster, but that does not make any of them a victim, it makes them a survivor. Stop living a victim mentality and take control of your lives, live with your head held high and realize you don’t need anyone’s help, you CAN do this yourself.
Joanna
Jan 13, 2008
This is a comment to anonymous: I served my country for 26 yrs and now I am disabled from an injury that they caused. I stand proud everyday but when I became exsposed to FORMALDEHYDE POISON I still stand proud becuase I am a suvivor like you stated. I do not look for the government to buy my vehicle back but I do not believe that the lemon law should have ruled in manufactors favor over mine. The level is 1.9ppm which is way above the legal limit of 0.75ppms. I fight everyday for my disabled son and everyone else who is disabled. I got involved in all kinds of committees to get results but I still have a $56,000.00 van that I have to keep ins on and registration on and pay van payments for the last 2 yrs and it is sits in my backyard becuase it is still off gasing. It should not have to be off gassed as a brand new vehicle. Did you ever have to wait for months till the brand new smell of a car go away. No most people like the smell and ask when serviced to spray it again. This is formaldehyde but at lower levels. Formaldehyde is highly combustible at high temp. I live in FL which gets about 90’s but when the AC doesn’t work and the smell is there and the whole bottom of the vehicle is completely rusted something is not right. But the goverment agrees there is a problem but did not force the dealership to fix it. WHY? Because they are the good old boys who help the goverment with funds here and there for political favors in the background. So as for FEMA Trailers I have the same sicknesses that each and everyone has complained about. The Katrina Victims are real and yes some have dragged it out longer but I am a Katrina Victim and I was not even in Katrina just my brand new custom handicapped van was. Is it fair???? HELL NO!!!! IS IT RIGHT? NOPE!!! SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT BE CLOSING THEIR EYES AND IGNORING IT …NOPE CAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY….
I have skin cancer, vocal cord dysfunction, chemical asthma, breathing problems where I need an inhaler now, we can not use this van so we had to take another loan out to get another one…. can I afford it nope…no can ..but I pick my self up each day and say it will be better day today …
By the way none of the Lawyers for FORD would enter the vehicle becuase they knew how bad we were injured and they did not want to take the chance they would get sick. Did the board members enter yes they had to but got out really quick with thier eyes burning and thinking it was a joke. It is no joking matter. Walk in my shoes or someones shoes effected by this before you make your comments next time. Comments like your make WARS not PEACE in this matter.
You all have a nice day now and come back again….await your comments….on my comments……
Anonymous
Jan 28, 2008
hampton and crangle
you two are idiots. I hope you go through something like this and have to start over. Starting over means needing a bed to sleep in until your insurance pays off.(In some cases it took over a year.) By the way, try living in a tent for a week. I bet you two have never went without water.
I hate it when ignorant people speak.
Anonymous
Jan 28, 2008
To 47,
Can not wait till something happens to you and you feel helpless. You have a lot to learn. Some people are still fighting to get their life back, not a hand out. Insurance companies screw everyone. Noone goes through there policy page by page. You dont know what kind of insurance you have until something like this happens to you…, and I hope it does soon.
Michael Hampton
Jan 28, 2008
Actually, anonymous, I have had to start over like that. I’ve been homeless. I know exactly how soul-destroying it is. And that’s how I know you are full of shit.
Tony
Jan 30, 2008
I gotta tell ya – if you have still not moved on with your life and are waiting for the government to bail you out – it isn’t going to happen. The trailers are for camping – not living in. Millions of families own these trailers – they just didn’t change the manufacturing process to poison Katrina folks. Blame the government…blah blah blah. Take yourself and your families and make a move on your own.
Wes
Feb 14, 2008
I am (was) a RV technician until I became so sick that I had to quit what I was doing. After many visits to the doctor, MRI’s, Cat scans, etc we have found there may be a link to the formaldehyde poisoning all the symtoms are there! Since I stopped 1.5 years ago some of the symtoms have subsided but still many remain like nose bleeds, shortnes of breath, extreme sinus irritation, light headedness etc. As a Rv technician many hours were spent doing repairs PDI’s fabrications in campers that came directly from the manufacturer. For the record before I went into the RV field I had non of these symtoms and when I quit I thought they would subside but I live with them everyday. The bottom line is that formaldehyde is dangerous! For the record I never worked with Gulf Coast RV’s and keep in mind almost all RV manufacturers use the same formaldehyde containing wall board and wood products that can cause minor to serious (including fatal cancer that formaldehyde has been linked to!). I believe that the government and RV manufacturers have the peoples best interest at heart but when they test the formaldehyde PPM at the factory it is within the accepted level the change comes when it sits in the shipping staging area and the heat and humidity brings the chemical out of the material. And for those of you who think this is BS got to an area in the us southeast like New orleans when it is very hot and humid and go to a RV dealer ask to see a new unit that is still factory sealed I challenge you to spend a hour inside and see if you can come out without your nose running, tears runing down your face, and an extreme headache then go back inside and try to find a formaldehyde warning label. I pray for those who have been affected by it and I pray for those who don’t know enough about it to care and I also pray for those who have lost much from katrina and for those who look to gain much from katrina you now who you are. Thanks Wes
Mike
Feb 14, 2008
I find it breath taking that the current media reports on this issue fail to consider the issue in any mature, honest, thoughtful way. The implication is–from the media, and from many of the posts above–that FEMA screwed up. The sound-byte reports imply that FEMA bought cheap trailers, or that FEMA commissioned the construction of dangerous trailers, neither of which is the case. As I suspected when I heard the media sound byte, this isn’t just a FEMA trailer problem, it’s an RV-industry-wide problem, exacerbated by the unfortunate reality that Katrina victims (and others) are making permanent and continuous residences out of brand new trailers designed for occasional use.
It probably turns out that even “the new car smell” would harm people if people lived in their new cars for a year. It probably also turns out that certain yuppies’s new million-dollar houses are also harming their inhabitants with the same chemical fumes.
And it’s not just formeldhyde.
There are thousands of chemical vapors of-gassing from glues and plastics that are present in almost all man-made structures and vehicles.
People, you need to think for yourselves! Just like the thinking that I just did where I suspected the media was missing the point (and which led me to spend 30 minutes and learn the truth). And not like the pathetic reporters in the media, who couldn’t discover the essense of a story if their lives depended on it.
I feel sorry for all of the victims, but I wonder if they would have fared better if they had been told that the smells were not a good thing, and that they should ventilate.
THAT is the real purpose of the media, but they’re sadly AWOL.
Will the media ever take any blame for anything?
Joanna
Feb 14, 2008
This comment is to Mike mostly about his last remark. I think in one way you are right about the media and the government should go after the RV manufactors for using the poison in the first place. This world has enough sick people in it and then on top of that the manufactors are poisoning us even more. I can only speak from experience that you mentioned about “new car smell”. I am the family who owns the Hnadicapped Van that is reading the FORMALDEHYDE LEVELS at 1.9 ppms. This is way beyond the legal limit. I did what I had to do and went thru the Lemon Law the legal way. I was told that they admit there is a higher level than legal but that it is my fault that I did not air out the van before using it. Anyone who believes that I should have aired out this van before using it is very mistaken. What person in their right mind would by a brand new Handicapped Accessible Custom Van at $52,000.00 and not expect to use it right off the lot. This is what are great Lawyers who represented us let FORD tell us and did not respond in our favor. Which proves that justice is not fair in this world. The media tried to help us get the word out to the everyone about this injustice and nothing happened becuase the story was only aired in Fl. I can honestly tell you that I have skin cancer which I did not have before 2 yrs ago when I purchased this van. I can tell you that we were not sueing FORD but after FORD realized that they actually were not being sued then they turned around defended with FORD LAWYERS the custom company who put the poison in the van in the first place. We never had a chance against the BIG BOYS you could say. I personally have gone to one of the best cancer centers here in FL to be treated for Vocal Cord Dysfuntion and if you are not aware what that is I will tell you. It means when you get near any kind of perfume, air freshners, scented candles you start to have problems breathing and your cords close and you can not speak either. It takes several hrs for them to come back to normal. I can also tell you that my mom and my husband were also diagnosed with skin cancer called squalmous cell. Each one of us had it removed somewhere on our body and now we have scars. You can live with scars but you can not live without vocal cords working. I can also tell you that we went to purchase a new vehicle last week for my mom. She asked me to ride in it to make sure I could breath in it. I went to a Pontiac Dealer first. No problems. Then we tried a Chevy Dealership and drove in a chevy Malibu and within mins of riding I asked the drive to take me back or leave me on the side of the road because I could not breath. We even tried the air conditioner and open windows to help till we got back. But the worst of it was the saleman who rides in the vehicle had been complaining about problems breathing for the past 2 months. He did realize the problem with him was everytime someone rides in the vehicle he takes it to the back and they spray it …make it new vehicle smell again. He now knows what it was and told them not to do that anymore.
We went back over to Pontiac and I tried to speak to the saleman over there. He was like what happened to you and your voice. Explained what happened ..he was shocked it could react that fast….. I am living proof …put me into any area where there is formaldehyde and I will react… you do not even have to tell me what your doing….I am that senitive to it now.
Other signs where nose bleeds, headaches beyond taking tyleno for them, skin cancer, VCD, scales on your head,skin, itching of skin, breathing prob, lung prob,etc.
if anyone wants to see my van email me I will send you pictures of this brand new van with the whole bottom rusted everywhere which was sold to me brand new. It was built in Miss during Katrina. We have proof it was flooded and dried out and sold new to us do to the mileage of 102 miles only.
amanda
Mar 06, 2008
I thank god there are more careing people in this world than inorant jack asses. these people who lost everything have enough to deal with, without haveing to put up with people like some of you. only god can judge and trust, if people are abuseing the help fema provided them then he knows it better than any of us. to all katrina victoms like me keep on keeping on.
Joanna
Mar 07, 2008
If anyone would like to send my new petition at the following address it would be greatly appreciated. I wanted to go for more than 1000 signatures to send to congress and senate but I need your help. I am the family who owns the FORMALDEHYDE POISON handicapped Van from Miss that was brought into Florida with a possible washed title. The owner was FORD and then sold to Companion Van, Inc and the title was never switched and then FORD dealership got it and sold it to us.
here is the website for the petition so please help me help everyone by trying to ban FORMALDEHYDE in vehicles and products now!!!!
Mel
Dec 02, 2009
I don’t know if your still having a problem with your childs health, or if I can even still contact you, but our story is the same and would love to hear what you did to help her.
Lin
Apr 27, 2010
Mindy,
How is the baby? I happened upon your story while reading about the fema trailers. I went through an intense amount of trauma and IVAN(my little single-parent home is still leaking and damaged), but God is STILL in control. I will be keeping you and yours in my prayers.
LL
sheera
Jul 09, 2010
You are the most ignorant person ever!!!