The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday that it would replace locks on request for residents of travel trailers issued to evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year after finding that the same key could open many trailers.
“We are working aggressively to establish the extent of the problem and determine the best solution for the safety and security of those who now reside in these trailer units,” said Deputy Director of Gulf Coast Recovery Gil Jamieson.
FEMA is “asking residents to be extra vigilant and take precautions to secure the trailer that they occupy,” he said.
The extent of the problem is that in any given trailer park, one key likely opens at least one other trailer in the park, and probably more than that, as only three locksmiths provided the locks for the trailers, and did not cut enough unique key patterns.
One manufacturer cut only 50 different kinds of keys for the trailers it sold to FEMA, officials said Monday. That means, in a worst-case scenario, one key could be used to unlock up to 10 mobile homes in a park of 500 trailers. . . .
Another manufacturer cut 100 and 200 patterns for the second and third kinds, [said FEMA spokesman Pat Philbin].
Philbin did not immediately know how many trailers were distributed for each key cut. In all, the agency has issued about 150,000 travel trailers and mobile homes to evacuees since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slammed into the Gulf Coast last year. About 32,000 have been taken out of service, Philbin said. — Associated Press
FEMA has asked local police to increase patrols in trailer parks and is passing out flyers to residents warning them of the risk to their personal security.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) called the news “very troubling.”
“While this development certainly adds to a long list of oversights lost in the dysfunctional bureaucracy of the agency, I’m encouraged that FEMA has already begun to take steps to ensure the security of the residents entrusted to it,” Landrieu said Monday.
Residents who want their locks changed can contact the trailer park manager or maintenace provider using the telephone numbers provided with the trailer, FEMA said.
FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and sets a wonderful example of how well the government can provide real security to its citizens.
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Nigel Watt
Aug 14, 2006
Can I steal whatever you used to get that digg.com thing in the top corner as well as your awesome homeland stupidity warning meter?
Oliver Crangle
Aug 14, 2006
I am starting to think that the responsibility for the problems with these trailers might actually lay with the manufacturers/suppliers rather than FEMA.
It seems unlikely that FEMA intentionally procured trailers that leach out formaldehyde, or that all have the same key set. Even if FEMAs specifications to the supplier were silent on the issues of formaldehyde and keying the consumer (FEMA) has every right to expect that the delivered product will be free from defects and reasonably safe.
This sounds like a case where the ‘free market’ failed the consumer. Perhaps a lawsuit against the trailer manufacturer with a hefty monetary judgment would be the proper remedy…
Nigel Watt
Aug 14, 2006
Actually, never mind, I found it by of all things, looking at the page source.
Michael Hampton
Aug 14, 2006
Oliver, you miss something very important: This wasn’t a free market transaction. It was a government contract. Government contracts don’t generally have the same protections from fraud and defects as a free market transaction would, especially when they were no-bid contracts.
Both of these issues would be wholly unacceptable in a free market transaction.
Oliver Crangle
Aug 14, 2006
Good point Michael.
I would still like to know the name of the American companies that made/provided these defective trailers.
Anonymous
Oct 15, 2006
WHAT HAVE THEY GOT TO STEAL THEY LOST EVERYTHING.
Jan 28, 2007
Suspect Device: The Blog » Sigh
Kevin
Mar 20, 2007
These trailers were built and designed for weekend campers not emergency shelter for evacuees to live in. No home is burglar proof not even yours especially not one built for the average honest persons such as campers.
Apr 25, 2007
Waste in FEMA trailer maintenace contracts - Homeland Stupidity
RParks
Jun 26, 2007
Approximately 80% of the FEMA mobile homes (not travel trailer) have a serious building defect which causes condensation and mold growth within the wall structure. I am an industry consultant and have inspected homes from Florida to Louisiana. The really disturbing issue now is that FEMA is selling these homes to unsuspecting buyers, making them victims once again!
Anonymous
Aug 29, 2007
am doing a report in hurricanes and what are three hurricanes at hint L.a