Mississippi man warns Laredoans about FEMA trailers

Mississippi man warns Laredoans about FEMA trailers
Aug 6, 2009Story Updated: Aug 6, 2009

Congressman Henry Cuellar announced yesterday that FEMA trailers would soon be on their way to Webb county for residents of the colonias to use. While the fully furnished, inexpensive homes may seem like a good idea, one man says he wishes laredoans would take a second look and realize the dangers they face. A man all the way from Mississippi isn’t letting distance get in the way of knowing the truth. He says like many others back in his home state, people here in Webb county could soon be facing a life of illness all because of a good deal on a mobile home.Once used as shelters for residents slammed by hurricane Ike, trailers provided by the federal emergency management agency are heading to Webb county.The big announcement came from Congressman Henry Cuellar who says the fully furnished 2 and 3 bedroom homes could soon be purchased by colonia residents for as little as 3-thousand dollars.But a Mississippi resident and business owner who worked closely with FEMA says he knows what that means.“Ladies say they have a lot of bloody noses at night while sleeping, pregnant woman have been developed cancer,” says Jimmy Bankston.Miscarriages and leukemia add to the list of some of the illnesses he says were seen when people began living in FEMA trailers after hurricane Katrina and Rita.Trailers he says and lawsuits suggest expose people to unsafe levels of the chemical formaldehyde.But Texas officials say the mobile homes being distributed to Webb county are brand new models clear of toxins and declared safe for long-term use.Bankston says he's not so sure.“Even in Galveston TX a TL unit built in July of 08 or June of 08 tested at 29 parts per billion but FEMA accepted it.”Commissioner Keko Martinez says he's not worried about the trailers coming here to the people of the colonias. He says they need them and will not be disappointed.”“It behooves us that they have a seal of approval sort of speak that they comply with environmentally safe materials.”A spokesperson for congressman Henry Cuellar says the trailers have been inspected and environmentally tested. He says it would not be in the states best interest to distribute contaminated trailers to the public.Meanwhile Bankston hopes its the best interest of the people officials will consider.“These units should have been destroyed.”Although Congressman Henry Cuellar touted the program yesterday in Laredo he was not available for comment tonightCommissioner Martinez says he was assured that all mobile homes would be properly inspected. And while no one has been able to prove that formaldehyde has led to the illnesses, Bankston says its no coincidence.

GULF COAST GRASSROOTS HEALTH SURVEY RELEASES INITIAL FINDINGS

Newly released data from a grassroots Katrina and Rita health survey reveals that over 70% of the 277 survey respondents remain ill from hurricane exposures, regardless of race, gender, or source of exposure. Respondents reported having had either no change in their conditions or reported that their symptoms have slightly or dramatically worsened. A higher number—over 75% —of children remain ill.

“Children are a higher risk group than adults because their immune systems, brains, and lungs are still developing,” according to Jack Thrasher, PhD, who is an immunotoxicologist assisting with the health survey. Although the survey responses for children are somewhat low as of yet, the survey team is concerned that the initial findings may reflect a larger scale pattern. Children need to be looked at in greater numbers because if these high percentage rates of children remaining ill are reflected on a larger scale, there is reason to be alarmed. Dr. Thrasher states “I am deeply concerned about the children and we must find ways to reach out into the community to further assess this situation.”

Initial findings indicate that 48.4% of respondents reported becoming sick from the FEMA trailers, mobile homes or park models in which they lived while 68.4% of respondents attributed their ill health to other exposures such as sewage, sediment, flood waters, mold, etc., regardless of whether or not they lived in FEMA-provided housing.

The Katrina and Rita health survey will remain open for an extended period of time to give schools, parent organizations (such as the PTA), community groups, and special-needs groups ample time to input data into the online health survey, which is available in both English and Spanish at www.partnerspublishing.org. The survey is a grassroots effort led by Katrina survivors Kurt and Lee Ann Billings with the assistance of Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN). It is endorsed by the following organizations: Sierra Club Delta Chapter, The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation, and The National Coalition for the Homeless.