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.