That’s the compassionate condescending conservative response to the people of the Gulf Coast living in FEMA trailers with unhealthy levels of formaldehyde…
WASHINGTON — Complaints that mobile homes and
trailers housing hurricane Katrina and Rita victims have unhealthy
levels of formaldehyde were dismissed by Federal Emergency Management
Agency Director David Paulison on Tuesday.Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., asked Paulison
about the complaints at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on
FEMA’s ability to respond to the 2007 hurricane season.Paulison said he was unaware the trailers posed any health threats.
The Sierra Club and other environmental groups, however, say high
levels of formaldehyde are responsible for some of the health problems
suffered by hurricane victims. More than 50,000 families displaced by
Katrina and Rita still live in FEMA trailers and mobile homes.After
the hearing, Paulison told reporters he was aware some trailers and
mobile homes have high levels of formaldehyde gas. But he said it is
the responsibility of hurricane victims to rid themselves of the danger.“We’ve told people they can air those trailers out,” he said.(emphasis mine)
Despite what Paulison thinks it’s not as though people are too lazy or stupid to have tried that…
Becky Gillette, vice chairman of the
Mississippi chapter of the Sierra Club, said testing of some FEMA
trailers and mobile homes showed elevated levels of formaldehyde, even
those that have been aired out for months.“We’re getting high readings in trailers that are 20 months old,” she said.